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Last Update: 7/13/2020
The tragic explosion occurred on the 1400 block of South 8th Avenue in South Philly just before noon on Thursday, December 19th.
It is not yet clear what may have sparked the explosion, but the fire that engulfed the first rowhouse would spread to the neighboring units, eventually leading to their collapse. A total of three buildings collapsed with two others becoming badly damaged.
Neighbors responded to the scene promptly after the initial blast, though they were not able to rescue one of the victims trapped inside. Another individual in a neighboring unit also became trapped when collapsed following the explosion.
Over 100 firefighters responded to the emergency though it would take them nearly three hours to get the fire under control. Rescue efforts would cease in the late hours of the afternoon when the sun went down and are set to resume in the daylight hours of Friday.
Other than the two confirmed deaths, it is not clear at this time if there are additional victims. Around 60 residents of the immediate area were displaced by the incident.
Investigations began soon after the fire was under control and are expected to continue until the cause is fully determined.
A regular contributor to Legal Herald and experienced personal injury attorney, Brian Kent offered the following insight for individuals who may have suffered damages in all kinds of accidents:
“For most people, the word accident is usually used to depict an incident that could not have been foreseen or prevented. The truth is that many preventable and foreseeable accidents take place every day as a result of negligence, whether it be on behalf of a single person or an entire company.
Negligence is a simple legal theory which states that all persons are members of a shared society. In this community, everyone is expected to control their actions as much as possible so as to avoid inflicting damage of any type on others.
When a person (or entity) fails to behave in a proper way and other individuals are injured as a result, the former party is said to have been careless or negligent.
Victims of this negligence are entitled to pursue those who harmed them via a personal injury lawsuit in a court of law. Through this legal process, the victims are able to claim damages that include medical expenses, property damage, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life, among others.
Without having the specific circumstances of a case reviewed by a legal expert, it’s nearly impossible to pinpoint how much compensation could be achieved. For this reason, individuals who believe they may have been victims of negligence and suffered damages should discuss their situation with an experienced accident attorney.
Moreover, due to different statutes of limitations, victims should seek legal consultation as soon as possible after the incident takes place.”
https://6abc.com/south-philadelphia-explosion-leaves-two-presumed-dead-/5768897/
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