2 boys dead in Strawberry Mansion rowhouse fire

Two young boys died early Monday in a house fire in Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion section, authorities said.

The blaze started just before 5 a.m. in a two-story rowhouse on the 2400 block of North Myrtlewood Street and was placed under control at 5:18, the Philadelphia Fire Department said.

“Despite aggressive firefighting and rescue efforts, two children did not survive,” said Kathy Matheson, a department spokesperson.

“They were sweet little boys,” ages 2 and 4, said Tracy Bethea, 47, whose 26-year-old son, Clarence Murphy, lives in the house. She said she did not know their names.

Matheson said that she could not confirm the ages of the two boys. Their causes of death were under investigation by the Medical Examiner’s Office, said James Garrow, spokesperson for that office.

Matheson said the cause of the fire was under investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office.

Bethea said her son had gone back into the house to try to rescue the boys, who were his fiancée’s children. Speaking Monday afternoon from her North Philadelphia home, Bethea said she had just returned from Temple University Hospital, where her son was being treated for burn injuries from the fire.

She said he was one of two adults injured. His fiancée was not hurt, but a female friend of the fiancée jumped from a second-floor window and was also being treated at Temple, Bethea said.

Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel responded to the tragedy on Twitter. “Incredible firefighting & rescue efforts by @PhillyFireDept members in Battalion 3 this morning,” he wrote. “Our thoughts/prayers are with all those affected by the tragic outcome … ”

About 60 firefighters, medics, and other personnel were involved in the response.