Pizzeria collapses; firefighter dies
2 others listed in critical but stable condition in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — A pizzeria caught fire and later collapsed in Philadelphia, killing one firefighter and injuring 5 other people, two critically, after all became trapped early Saturday, authorities said.
Lt. Sean Williamson, 51, was pronounced dead at the scene after he and another firefighter were freed from the rubble hours after the collapse. Three other firefighters and an inspector with the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections had been freed quickly.
Two firefighters were listed in critical but stable condition at Temple University Hospital while the other three victims were treated and released, officials said.
The building collapsed shortly before 3:30 a.m. after a fire call that came in a little before 2 a.m., according to Craig Murphy, a deputy commissioner of the Philadelphia Fire Department. The build- ing housed Star Pizza Fish and Chicken, in the Fairhill section of north Philadelphia, a neighborhood about 3 miles north of downtown that is dominated by two- and three-story row houses.
The “total collapse” occurred after the fire was put out, Murphy said. Although it was unclear exactly what caused the collapse, he said “the building was affected by fire.” An official from the Department of Licenses and Inspections at the scene declined to comment.
One firefighter had jumped from the building to escape, Murphy said. He added that during the rescue, emergency workers were able to communicate with those who were trapped, including by tapping on debris.
By late morning Saturday, after the rescues, the scene was busy with police, firefighters and officials from Philadelphia Gas Works and the Department of Licenses and Inspections. Workers were beginning to load debris into trucks, but the intersection of Third Street and West Indiana Avenue remained blocked by rubble.
Elliott Lopez, who lives nearby, said that he was at the restaurant about 11:30 p.m. Friday. He said he was alerted to the fire and subsequent collapse of the building by a phone call from his brother.
“I was here last night, bought a pizza, and they’re calling me at 4 o’clock in the morning to say the pizzeria was on fire,” said Lopez, 55, standing a few yards from where the building’s rubble lay in the street. He said he arrived at the scene early Saturday to move a car that he had parked at the intersection and found that it had already been moved by emergency workers.
Rolando Cortes, 55, who has lived in the neighborhood since the 1980s and said he and his wife would sometimes order pizza from the shop, said he arrived at the intersection about 7:30 a.m. and found rescuers removing the body of the deceased firefighter.
“They put a flag over him and carried him out on a stretcher,” he said. Twenty minutes later, they brought out another firefighter, who was still alive, he said.
On Twitter, Mayor Jim Kenney said he was grieving with the members of the Fire Department and all city government employees “who lost one of our own in the line of duty today.”