Fairmount Fire – First images of 12 people killed including 8 children at home in Philadelphia ‘after Christmas tree burned’

EIGHT children were among 12 people killed in a devastating fire that tore through a Philadelphia home.

The cause of Wednesday’s fire is still unknown but a child who escaped from the building is believed to have told investigators that Christmas The tree caught fire before it spread.

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The youngest victim is believed to be two years old. Some victims have been identified, while most have not.

Sisters Virginia Thomas, 30, and Rosalee McDonald, 33, were among the dead.

Their cousin Aneisha Thomas, 37, told Philadelphia Inquirer that there will be a “gap” when she visits the city in the future.

She added: “It will be a blank look when I visit because I can’t visit them.”

Virginia’s friend Caprice Duckett said that Virginia “didn’t bother anyone”.

Quintien Terrell Tate McDonald, 16, also died in the fire.

Relatives Miesha Bryant told NBC10: “Just remember Quintien was a sweet kid. It is difficult for this family right now.”

And, Qaadira Purifoy, another relative of the victims, said: “Knowing that my nieces and nephews are not here, it will be really difficult for me to work with them again.

“And being around kids is not my niece and nephew. So that hurts the most.”

Dannie McGuire, 34 years old, told Related press: “I know some of those kids – I’ve seen them play around the corner”

And, Andrea Duzenczuk, 68, said: “It’s heartbreaking.”

The Fairmount fire broke out around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday and takes about 50 minutes to control.

It was Philadelphia’s deadliest fire in more than a century.

Two people were hospitalized and some tried to get out of the building.

It was reported that 26 people were staying in two apartments. 18 people were on the second and third floors, while eight stayed in the apartment downstairs.

Craig Murphy, first deputy fire commissioner, said none of the four smoke alarms appeared to be working.

Officials at the Philadelphia Housing Authority said that the alarm system was inspected annually and that at least two systems had been replaced in 2020.

Bosses said the last inspection was in May 2021 and the smoke detectors were operational at the time.

Murphy told reporters: “It was horrible. It’s been 35 years so far and this is probably one of the worst fires I’ve been to.”

Meanwhile, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said: “Losing so many children is devastating. Please keep these children in your prayers.”

First lady Jill Biden tweeted: “My heart is with the family and loved ones of the victims of the catastrophic fire in Philadelphia.”

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