2 bodies recovered after massive fire destroys 2 homes in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Crews have recovered two bodies following a massive fire in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood.
The blaze broke out around 5 p.m. Thursday on the 500 block of Brinton Street.
Three residents on one side of the home made it out safely.
Mark McKie, 62, and his girlfriend, Maria Dickens, 65, were living on the other side of the building. They were both inside when the fire started and were later found dead Friday, according to family members.
SEE ALSO: Couple still missing after fire ravages 2 homes in Philadelphia's Germantown section
"A loving person. I used to call him my big brother. I have a little brother, but my Uncle Mark was my big brother," said Tina Washington of the couple.
Relatives say the home has been in their family for 66 years.
"She used to make all her curtains for her windows. She used to make it beautiful," said Abe Higgenbotham when talking about her childhood memories of her grandmother.
"We grew up in this home. I got married in this home. Her sister got married in this home. My parents got married here in the 60s. We all lived here at one point in time," added McKie niece, Tonya Washington,
Neighbors are coming together to help.
"When I went and saw the people who were standing down the street and found out one of the ladies actually lived in the house that caught on fire, I decided I wanted to give her a donation," said Cheryl Whitaker of Germantown.
The intensity of the long-burning fire caused the upper floors to collapse, which only added to the danger for firefighters.
"If responders would've been in there. There would've been a lot of injuries for our guys and girls," said Daniel McCarty, the Philadelphia Fire Department's Acting Executive Chief.
Families living on this side of the street where the fire happened say they still don't have power.
The fire marshal's office says they're going to be at the scene for a long time due to the amount of damage
Philadelphia fire crews are using drone footage and an accelerant-sniffing dog to investigate how this fire started.
