Over 100 residents have been displaced after a fire at an apartment building in West Philadelphia Sunday afternoon.
At 4:38 pm, police said they were called to an apartment building along the 4900 block Spruce Street for a report of people trapped in a fire.
The fire took place at the Terrace Apartments at 4931 Spruce Street.
The source of the fire was determined to have started in one of the apartments, according to the police.
“Man, I’m just glad that they came here on time, got the people out,” Maurice Merry, a resident at the building, said. “I smelled it, I told my wife ‘something ain’t right.’ Then when I looked out the window and saw down here, I saw a lot of smoke. I was just like ‘yo, everybody gotta relocate.'”
The building was cleared, and no one was injured, police said.
“I didn’t think it would be an entire apartment on fire. I thought it would just be like, uh, more of a fire than usual. But it really only got bad until I got here and saw what was going on,” Alex Jefrey, a displaced resident said.
The Red Cross was notified and displaced residents have access to the Beulah Baptist Church at 5001 Spruce Street and the Christy Recreation Center at 728 S 55th Street, officials said.
The Salvation Army is also helping residents with clothing, food and water.
Residents weren’t immediately allowed back into the building after the fire was put out.
“I mean, we’re just hoping to get inside by tonight. We’re hoping the inspectors come in,” Jefrey said.
