Philadelphia House Fire Claims Woman, Two Children

No smoke alarms were found in the North Philadelphia house where the victims, 45, 6 and 5 perished.

Nov. 18, 2025

No working smoke alarms were found in a house where fire claimed a woman and two children.

Philadelphia firefighters encountered heavy smoke conditions about 1 a.m., Deputy Fire Chief Frank Hannan told NBC Philadelphia.

A woman, 45, a girl, 6 and a boy, 5, were located by firefighters during a search. They were pronounced dead at a hospital.

While the cause remains under investigation, firefighters said it appears the fire started on the first floor in the rear of the house.

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Susan Nicol

News Editor

Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com. She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company, Oxford Fire Company and Brunswick Vol. Fire Co. Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976. Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum. She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council. Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society, Maryland Division. Prior to joining the Firehouse team, she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post, covering fire, law enforcement, court and legislative issues.