Violations before fatal Philly warehouse fire

By Patrick Walters

Associated Press

Published: Tuesday, April 10 2012 12:55 a.m. MDT

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Firefighters battle a fire in a warehouse on York Street near Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia early Monday, April 9, 2012. Two firefighters died after a wall collapsed on them while they fought the massive early-morning blaze.

Joseph Kaczmarek, Associated Press

Summary

City officials say a vacant northeast Philadelphia warehouse had been cited for fire code violations several times and court action was in the offing when the building was hit by a massive blaze that led to the deaths of two firefighters in a collapse at an adjacent furniture store.

PHILADELPHIA — City officials say a vacant northeast Philadelphia warehouse had been cited for fire code violations several times and court action was in the offing when the building was hit by a massive blaze that led to the deaths of two firefighters in a collapse at an adjacent furniture store.

A city official says authorities will be looking into whether a criminal negligence case is warranted in the fire Monday that led to the deaths of 60-year-old Lt. Robert Neary and 25-year-old firefighter Daniel Sweeney. Two other firefighters were injured.

The blaze in the city's Kensington section started around 3:15 a.m. Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers says the firefighters were trying to make sure that the blaze was out at the furniture store when a wall and roof collapsed.

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