22 displaced in Southwest Philadelphia fire

SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- 22 people have been displaced from their homes following an early morning fire in Southwest Philadelphia.

The fire broke out just before 9:30 a.m. Monday in a house on the 4900 block of Saybrook Avenue.

"The fire started down the street and somebody knocked on our door so we all ran out and got everybody out of the house," neighbor Katonya Glenn said.

Glenn's house was just feet away from becoming another casualty in the fast moving fire that burned through five homes.

As the neighbors knocked on doors to make sure everyone was safe, firefighters worked to fight the blaze.

"One of the neighbors on 50th Street came down and alerted some of the neighbors that were out here that there was a fire in the back," neighbor Barbara Smack said.

When fire trucks arrived neighbors tell action news the flames were pouring out of the first and second floors of the multi-home structure.

"We've seen this billowing smoke going up the street. Next thing I know they were breaking out windows from one end to the other," Smack said.

And although no official cause has been released, neighbors say they believe something sparked in the backyard of one of the homes, catching dry brush and trees on fire.

"Devastating, because so many people that are without somewhere to live, one person had just purchased the property there," Smack said.

Barbara Smack said she was awaken to the sounds of multiple fire engines arriving on the scene.

"Luckily, there was no one in the homes, everybody did get out," Smack said.

The fire was placed under control within a half hour.