Three killed, one critical, in North Philadelphia house fire

Three people were killed and one was in critical condition after a fire tore through a North Philadelphia home Monday night.

Around 9:46 p.m. Monday, Philadelphia police and firefighters responded to the blaze on the 3100 block of North Croskey Street, where they found that the fire had spread to several homes on the block, police said in a statement. Heavy flames were coming from the first floor of a two-story rowhouse, a Fire Department spokesperson said.

As firefighters worked to put out the fire, officers found four victims in two houses, police said. Two victims were found on the second floor of a rowhouse, the Fire Department spokesperson said.

Three people had jumped from the second floor and two of them were taken to a hospital.

A 58-year-old man and a 62-year-old man were pronounced dead at the scene. A 39-year-old man was taken to Temple University Hospital and was pronounced dead early Tuesday morning.

A fourth victim, a 34-year-old man, was also taken to Temple University Hospital and was in critical condition as of Tuesday morning.

The fire was under control at 10:22 p.m. Monday, the Fire Department spokesperson said. No information was released about the cause or origin of the fire, though the fire marshal was investigating.

The fatal fire was just one of six fires that the Fire Department fought to control Monday, the department spokesperson said. The department advised the public that city residents who needed smoke alarms could call 311 and the department would install them for free.