We couldn’t find the residents of the house on the scene. If anyone knows them and they need help, please let us know and we’ll pass it along.
8:15 p.m. We went to the scene. The fire is extinguished, but the top two floors appear to have been destroyed. It’s a duplex and the adjacent house at 5024 Cedar Ave. also sustained some damage.
7:23 p.m. A reader reports a fire at 5026 Cedar Avenue this evening. Stay tuned as we are trying to get more information on it.
Fire at 5026 Cedar Ave. (Photo by D.W.)
May 7th, 2012 at 8:54 pm
I’m fairly certain this place is the same one my friend checked out last year with her realtor…it was for sale and appeared to have absentee owners who were possibly not aware of people squatting in there. I hope everyone is ok.
May 7th, 2012 at 10:58 pm
I live on the second floor of the house attached (the one on the left in the pictures). Was inside when the fire started, started on the second floor of the house on the right 5026. Don’t think anyone lived there, probably squatters. Nobody was injured, not too much damage to 5024, was able to go back in later and get some stuff out. Police/Fire where there crazy quick and did a great job. Just happy everyone’s ok.
May 8th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
I’m glad no one was hurt!
May 8th, 2012 at 2:32 pm
I live across the street – exchanged hellos and a few brief conversations with the guy who lived on the second floor. He’s west African I believe, maybe from Ghana? – was supposed to leave today (1 day after fire) for a trip home but passport and tickets just went up in smoke. He was just fine, I saw him during the fire – understandably pretty worked-up talking with the property owner (makes me think he wasn’t squatting).
I was talking with the clean-up crew this morning, first-floor at 5026 looks like nothing happened, front-half of the second and third are totally gone. They were guessing the property would probably not be salvageable.
@Rich – glad to hear the damage at 5026 wasn’t too bad, from out front – I was a little worried it had gotten into the walls over there.
May 8th, 2012 at 11:09 pm
Hey Chris,
Thanks for the info, good to know someone was living there, not a squatter. Wonder what started the fire! I guess we’ll find out in a few days. I’m waiting to hear from my landlord about possibly returning to 5024, depends on how long a wait. I might have to get a new place I guess?
The water damage was pretty bad on our side, so who knows. The 3rd floor looked pretty bad in the front, but the middle and back rooms just had smoke damage mainly.
May 9th, 2012 at 10:55 am
Oh that is so sad. I did ask my friend who had looked at the place and she said the first floor apt was in decent shape but the second and third floor apts were really not. She thought either people were squatting there or the property owner was renting it out in terrible condition…again, this was a year ago so things may have changed in there since then. I’ve met that fellow as well, he is a really nice guy and I hope that the airline would give him a replacement ticket.
May 9th, 2012 at 10:57 am
Also–Rich, so glad to hear no one was hurt and the damage wasn’t too bad for you guys.
May 10th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
I live in 5028. A man definitely lives on the 2nd floor 5026 and he is ok. He was coming home and about to enter the house when he saw the fire. He’s very fortunate because he was about to take a nap. He was about to leave for Africa that evening to see his family. Fortunately his luggage, passport and plane ticket were not damaged in the fire and he was able to leave.
Our house caught on fire briefly and had a small amount of damage.
May 10th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
Do they know the cause of the fire yet?
May 10th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
@Josh, good to hear he didn’t loose what he needed for travel. Anyone have any idea how to get in touch with him, to see if he needs anything? Josh, Rich, anything you need? How long until your places are habitable again?
May 14th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
Interestingly enough, public records indicate that property is/was in Mortgage Foreclosure back in January:
http://www.phillysheriff.com/properties.html
—
275-698
5026 Cedar Ave. 46th Ward 2,090 sq. ft. BRT# 462052000 Improvements: Residential Property
DIABATE MAMADOU AND MARIAM KOITA C.P. May Term, 2010 No. 02372 $74,477.90 Phelan Hallinan & Schmieg, LLP
—-
coincidence? Who knows.
May 15th, 2012 at 8:28 am
I live in 5024, my house had extensive amount of damage (had to move as well until is fixed). I really need the community/neighbors help & support to contact 311 as many times as possible in order to make sure the 5026 house is boarded as soon as possible in order not to become a nuisance property with squatters and drug dealers hanging around.
May 15th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Lilia, if you email me at sfeinstein@propadj.com I may be able to help you.
May 15th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
The foreclosure is bad news – I imagine the bank’s is going to take forever to respond to anything from the city – it may end up the city that has to clean up the mess and leave a the bill on the doorstep of another absentee financial institution.
May 15th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Hey Steven,
While you’re at it, consider trying to help out the entire 5100 block of Baltimore Ave.
Lilia, sorry to hear about your loss. I hope everything works out for you and yours!
May 15th, 2012 at 5:47 pm
Thanks Mister Brownstone.
May 16th, 2012 at 9:30 am
@Anon Resident, that was January 2011 not this year. If you check the Civil Docket, the document for the judgement was re-filed on April 12, 2012. Pretty sure the cops are aware of this if there’s any suspicion of arson.
May 16th, 2012 at 10:49 am
Anyone whose home was affected by the fire, be it fire damages or smoke damages can feel free to contact me and perhaps I can help get them money for their damages.
sfeinstein@propadj.com
May 20th, 2012 at 12:14 am
I created a petition to collect as many signatures as possible from the neighbors and the community. Below is the link:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/demolition-of-5026-cedar-av-19143-house/
Thank you for your support.
September 14th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
5026 cedar av house will go on Sheriff sale on October 02, 2012 @ 10 AM, anybody interested?
September 14th, 2012 at 2:11 pm
Sorry it’s either the 2nd or the 10th of October, 2012