Fire ravages furniture store in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A two-alarm fire that erupted at a furniture store in Philadelphia on Monday is now under control.

The blaze started just before noon on the 2600 block of North American Street in the city's Kensington section.

By 1:20 p.m., crews said the fire was under control.

Chopper 6 was over the scene and showed smoke billowing from the roof of a furniture store.

Officials say a furniture store and automotive repair shop next to each other were both engulfed.

Sharay Redmon, of Kensington, said she heard the spark.

"I heard what sounded like a bomb," said Redmon. "Like the little dynamite sticks."

Fire crews say they saw flames spreading inside when they arrived on the scene.

"They encountered high heat and zero visibility. Conditions continued to worsen. The fire began to spread throughout the property," said Assistant Chief Harry Bannan with the Philadelphia Fire Department.

Officials say nine employees were inside working and they all got out safely. Both businesses are owned by the same family, according to officials.

"It's just real devastating that the fire took everything. I mean this building you can see through it now," said said Redmon.

The fire marshal is investigating the cause.

Sources tell Action News the damage to the building is so extensive that investigators likely won't be able to get inside until Tuesday.