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Philadelphia fire: Advocates call for changes to fire code
Advocates are urging changes be made to Philadelphia's fire code to prevent another devastating blaze like the Farimount rowhome inferno that killed 12 including 8 children. FOX 29's Jeff Cole spoke to a Philadelphia Housing Authority resident and a Housing Attorney about what steps can be taken to prevent another tragedy.
PHILADELPHIA - Housing advocates are calling for changes to building codes and more affordable housing in the wake of two deadly fires in Philadelphia and New York City.
Advocates believe that hard-wired smoke detectors and fire escapes may have saved lives inside the Philadelphia Housing Authority-owned apartment along North 23rd Street last Wednesday.
"The buildings on Girard Avenue are the same, they have no escape," said Regina Cureton a Philadelphia Housing Authority resident. "I have one staircase, one little staircase, to run down if there's a fire, other than that I have to jump out a third floor window."
FAIRMOUNT FIRE COVERAGE
- Philadelphia fire: 12 dead, including 8 children, after Fairmount rowhome fire
- Child playing with lighter may have ignited Christmas tree to start Philadelphia rowhome fire, warrant says
- Philadelphia fire: Community rallies around family members of rowhome fire victims
- Philadelphia fire: Local businesses, places of worship step up to help family in Fairmount
- Philadelphia fire: Investigation, mourning continues in wake of deadly Fairmount rowhome fire
They also argue there’s a dire need for more and newer affordable housing in the city, so residents won’t crowd into apartments. Fire investigators say there were 26 people living in 869 N. 23rd. Street when it was approved for 20.
Jenna Collins is a housing attorney for Community Legal Services of Philadelphia. She says a fire from a malfunctioning space hearted, which is the likely cause of the fire Sunday in the Bronx , could happen here.
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Bronx apartment fire: 19 killed, including 9 children
FOX 29's Steve Keeley has the latest on a huge and fatal fire in the Bronx.
"Sometimes the only option for a family can be something like a space heater. You don’t want your kids to freeze to death either," Collins said.
Investigators have now left the North 23rd Street apartment which stands as a burned shell with a memorial growing along the sidewalk.
Sources tell Fox 29 the investigation of the Fairmount fire is moving ahead as investigators try to pinpoint whether a child with a lighter ignited a Christmas tree that touched off the inferno.
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