Police seek two men accused of lighting Philadelphia home on fire with a mother, child inside

Chad Pradelli Image
Monday, December 23, 2019
Police seek two men accused of lighting Philadelphia home on fire with a mother, child inside
Police seek two men accused of lighting Philadelphia home on fire with a mother, child insidePolice seek two men accused of lighting Philadelphia home on fire with a mother, child inside. Chad Pradelli reports on Action News at 4 on Dec. 23, 2019.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police want the public's help identifying two suspects who they say firebombed a house this weekend.

Investigators said around 4 a.m. Saturday, two men entered the alley on the 7400 block of Rugby and doused the back of a rowhome with what appears to be gasoline.

In surveillance video, one of the suspects can then be seen throwing a Molotov cocktail at the house.

Action News showed neighbors the surveillance video released by police. Jesse Moss was stunned.

"Yeah, it's insane. You don't see much of that around here. You never see that around here," Moss said.

Police said a woman and her child were inside the home. The mother called 911 and firefighters quickly put out the blaze.

Harold Austin, who lives nearby, says the woman knocked on his neighbor's door pleading for help.

Surveillance video released by Philadelphia police of an alleged arson, December 23, 2019

"She was pretty calm. I thought it was a gas leak or something," said Austin.

Surveillance captured clear images of the suspects.

Police released the video because the victim apparently does not recognize the suspects, raising the possibility they tried to torch the wrong house.

No one was injured in the incident and the home only suffered moderate damage.

"They just moved in like a year ago. She is a good quiet neighbor," Moss said.

Anyone with information is urged to call the police.

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