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The situation began at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 30 on the 1800 block of South Bancroft Street, with two workers from Philadelphia Gas Works reaching a residence in response to a gas leak call, company spokeswoman Melanie McCottry said. Detecting gas, they commenced shutting off service to nearby homes yet could not gain entry into two abodes.
While they were in one house, neighbors reported an explosion at 7:05 p.m., Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said, with firefighters observing light smoke emanating from a two-story location’s top floor and heavy fire situated on the first floor. Shortly after, officials confirmed the cause as a basement-based gas fire, which spread to an adjacent domicile before workers gained control over it just after 8 p.m.
According to McCottry, the PGW employees suffered minor injuries in the matter, with three children and 10 adults evacuated, according to Ayers. Published reports have said the American Red Cross had assumed care of three displaced families, recommending they head to True Tabernacle Baptist Church, 1606 Mifflin St., Detective Danielle Tolliver, of South Detective Division, said the hurt employees and an occupant of the site where the incident originated received transport to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She added authorities are still investigating the matter.
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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