Police officer rouses residents of burning home

A police officer roused residents of a burning rowhouse in North Philadelphia this morning, hustling them to safety before the home exploded in flames.

Police arrested a relative of the burned out family at the scene and held him on charges of torching the rowhouse at 3818 Pulaski Ave. in Nicetown. Police said the man may have mental health problems.

The blaze erupted about 2:30 a.m. and firefighters reported heavy fire on the first floor when they arrived.

"I was patrolling the area. I was driving down 18th Street, and I heard screaming and I saw fire," Police Officer Tawaina Weal told a 6ABC-TV crew at the scene.

Weal, who has been on the force since March 2008, said she roused residents of the home - a man and a woman, according to fire officials - and then banged on neighbors' doors.

Everyone made it safely out, but 6ABC said a dog died in the fire.

The one-alarm fire was under control shortly before 3 a.m., and the home at 3820 Pulaski was also damaged, according to the fire department.