On August 6, 2003 Philadelphia firefighters responded to a box alarm at 11th & Spruce at 12:37 AM. When they arrived on location they found medium smoke showing from the second floor of a five story apartment building, with numerous people trapped on the upper floors.
Firefighters went into a rescue operations, and removed dozens of people through stairwells, and aerial ladders.
A total of six alarms were struck and the fire department then went into a interior attack, however, the fire eventually spread to the upper floors, and broke through the roof. At this point the incident commander gave the order to evacuate the building, & all firefighters then went into a exterior attack with numerous deluge guns, and ladder pipes.
The fire was placed under control at 3:21 AM.
There were 4 residents who suffered smoke inhalation, and 2 firefighters taken to a area hospital , one with smoke inhalation, and the other with a shoulder injury.
