The New Year comes with new things but for the city of Philadelphia, losing so many children within the first week was not one of those new things they had anticipated. Today’s early 6.40am calm was interrupted with sounds of sirens and uproar of chaos as a heavy dark smoke filled the sky above the 800 block of N. 23rd Street.

“Without a doubt one of the most tragic days in our city’s history,” Mayor Jim Kenney said at a news conference.

According to Officials,18 people had lived on the 2nd-floor of the three-story duplex apartment and another eight people had lived on the first floor. The duplex is a Philadelphia Housing Authority property; and regular inspection of smoke detectors should have been one of the routines for such a property, we have no clue if those smoke detectors were actually working at all during the fire outbreak.

According to Kelvin A. Jeremiah who is the PHA President:

“The Fire Department, ATF and others are handling the investigation. Any information on the cause will come through them. Our primary goal right now is to support our residents in any way we can,”

The First Lady, tweeted, “My heart is with the families and loved ones of the victims of the tragic fire in Philadelphia.” and they were lots of responses such @BlueDash ” Public housing without working smoke detectors”.

Public housing without working smoke detectors.

— BlueDash (@BlueDash12) January 5, 2022

According to the facebook page of the Philadelphia Fire Department: “An unspeakably tragic day in Fairmount despite a strong response from the PFD. Please keep the community and our members in your thoughts.”