'Suspicious' 3-alarm South Philadelphia fire displaces 17

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Authorities are calling an early morning fire in South Philadelphia that displaced 17 residents suspicious.

The call came in around 3:00 a.m. at a building under construction on the 2000 block of South Juniper Street where flames were shooting from the roof.

"When we came out it was so hot and the flames, you can literally see the flames shooting over it, I mean it was bad," said Laina Foust, neighbor.

Officials say no power was connected to the building that was being turned into eight condos plus commercial space.

Several properties next to the burned building, including two homes and a business, were deemed unsafe.

Police say a witness saw two men in the building just before the fire started.

He said he heard one man break a window and enter the building and another person was on the roof.

"I saw the one guy leave the scene and as he left the scene headed east towards Snyder Avenue, the whole building exploded," said Barry Ippolito, witness.

Police would like to question those two men who were last seen wearing black hooden sweatshirts.

Investigators also viewed surveillance footage from neighborhood cameras.

People who live near the scene are nervous about the possibility of an arsonist.

"It's crazy how close it is if somebody is purposely setting fires in our neighborhood. It's just too scary," Dan Leone, neighbor.

The fire was brought under control and fortunately no injuries were reported.

Crews spent much of Sunday putting out hot spots.

The exact cause is under investigation.