Baby, adults rescued from suspicious Germantown fire

GERMANTOWN (WPVI) -- A 4-month-old baby and several adults had to be rescued from the roof of a burning home in Germantown.

Carmen Pope and her husband were startled awake by a loud bang at the front door of their home on the unit block of East Coulter Street just before 1:00 a.m. Sunday.

"By the time I got downstairs to see it, the entire living room was in flame of fire.

So I said we can't get out from downstairs, we gotta go up," Pope said.

Five people including a 4-month-old little girl were inside at the time.

They climbed onto the roof of a back porch and waited there until firefighters could rescue them.

"The adult males, adult females and infant were rescued by Ladder 8 from the rear second floor roof of the property at that time," Deputy Chief Harry Bannan said.

Fire investigators say it appears the fire was intentionally set.

Earlier this month, a neighbor's home was firebombed. Investigators say it's unclear if the two are connected.

The family would not provide specifics about why they think they are being targeted, only saying that it's over a woman and her kid.

"We have been to the property next door, 79 East coulter Street, at least 10 times. We've had two incendiary fire there. Whether these are connected is still under investigation by the arson task force," Bannan said.

The task force is comprised of Philadelphia fire, police and ATF agents.

The 4-month-old and a 52-year-old woman were taken to Einstein Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation. They have been treated and released.

The Red Cross is finding temporary shelter for the residents.