Fire officials say they are investigating claims from witnesses that a firecracker sparked a massive fire that killed a set of twin girls, a young boy and a baby.
Witnesses tell NBC10 they heard firecrackers go off moments before the fire began on the 6500 block of Gesner Street around 2:45 a.m. on Saturday.
Jeff Boone says he had just finished playing a video game when he stepped outside and noticed a yellow glow from his neighbor's house four doors down on 6516 Gesner Street. According to Boone, the right arm of a couch on the porch was on fire.
"By the time I went back into the house to get my niece out, I tried to grab my fire extinguisher," Boone said. "By the time I got back the whole couch was lit up and it started catching all the porches."
The flames quickly spread, both east and west, along the single-block street. One by one, the wooden porches on the two-story rowhomes fueled the fire as it grew in size and intensity. Cars parked across the street melted from the heat as windows in homes became disfigured.
Abu Marrah, who lives at 6512 Gesner St., was awakened by his wife and the sound of blaring smoke detectors. Black smoke swirled through his house as he ran around, partially clothed, to find the source. It was then that he realized the fire was spreading from his neighbor's house.
"Some people ran to the fire station and some people called 911," Marrah said.
According to Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer, Ladder 4 Engine 40, located about a block away, arrived at the scene of the fire about three minutes after the call went out at 2:45 a.m.
"It came in as a rubbish fire initially," Sawyer said. "Upon their arrival on the scene, four houses were already engulfed in flames. We immediately upgraded the assignment to a box assignment, which gave us more resources at the scene."
Witnesses say the scene was complete chaos as neighbors as well as responding police and firefighters tried to figure out whether there were people inside the homes.
"I was sleeping and I had seen the fire," said Keisha Burgess, another resident. "I just woke up and grabbed my kids. The fire was just spreading and it was just everywhere, house to house. I had to wake up, bring my kids out and just get out."
The 3-alarm fire spread to eight homes on the street. According to Sawyer, about 100 firefighters in all responded to the scene.
Boone says he called 911 and ran screaming down the street to wake up his neighbors. He was making his way to the firehouse just around the corner when he heard cries for help from young children trapped inside the house on 6518 Gesner St.
"I heard them in there screaming," Boone said. "The flames were so high and intense that I couldn't go over there."
Inside that home was 41-year-old Dewen Bowah and seven children. Bowah told police she managed to get three of the children, Naomi Bowah, Julie Bowah and Julisa Bowah out of the house by jumping out of a second floor window. However, she was unable to get to the remaining four kids, her twin daughters 4-year-old Maria Bowah and 4-year-old Marialla Bowah as well as 1-month-old Taj Jacque and 4-year-old Patrick Sanyeah.
By the time firefighters brought the flames under control, eight houses in all were destroyed and the four children were dead.
"They were the sweetest kids, a little shy, but sweet," said Tameka Harrington, who lives across from the home. "The fire moved too fast. It was too late to warn people. There was nothing I could do but watch it burn."
Mayor Michael Nutter expressed his condolences to the victims during a press conference Saturday afternoon.
"We lost four precious lives," Nutter said. "Four little innocent children in a horrific tragedy on the street. I pray for their souls and may God be with them."
Four other people were taken to the hospital, including Dewen, who is currently in critical condition. The mother of Jacque and Sanyeah, 23-year-old Eleanor Jacque, was not at the home at the time.
According to Sawyer, officials installed two working smoke alarms inside the home back on August 3, 2013. That same day, they also installed 28 smoke alarms on the entire block.
"In addition to installing smoke alarms we need everyone to plan and practice their home escape plan," Sawyer said.
Officials say 42 people in all were displaced by the fire. A shelter has been set up for the displaced residents at Bartram High School on 67th and Elmwood. The Red Cross is currently assisting 23 of the victims.
"This is an incredibly sad day for our community," said Judge Renee Cardwell Hughes, the CEO of the Red Cross of Southeastern Pa. "Anytime there's a death due to fire it's significant for our community. I can't tell you how hard this is on first responders, on our volunteers but most importantly on these families. We have been providing spiritual care and mental health care to address their immediate trauma."
Hughes encouraged victims of the fire who have not yet come forward to contact the Red Cross at 215-299-4899.
1-month-old Taj Jacque and 4-year-old Patrick Sanyeah.
LISTEN: Scanner traffic as firefighters arrived at the scene of the fire:
A street view of the impacted homes prior to Saturday's fire. Credit: Trulia.com.
Candles, teddy bears and Spider-Man balloons were placed on the railing at 6518 Gesner St.
Photo Credit: Facebook.com