By: Richard L. Smith
A fire that erupted in a multi-family building on Thursday afternoon claimed the life of a six-year-old child and left 13 others requiring medical attention at the scene.
Firefighters were dispatched to 860 Lower Ferry Road after reports of a fire inside the large residential building.
Upon arrival, crews encountered heavy flames consuming the top floors, prompting fire officials to escalate the response to a second and third alarm for additional manpower.
As firefighters entered the burning structure, they immediately began evacuating residents, focusing their efforts on reaching individuals trapped in the engulfed apartment.
During the rescue, crews found an unresponsive child inside the apartment. The child was removed and transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where they were tragically pronounced dead.
Despite the intensity of the blaze, firefighters managed to bring the fire under control in under an hour, preventing further casualties.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation as officials continue to examine the circumstances leading up to the tragic incident.