Thanks to quick actions by a neighbor, three people were able to escape an early morning house fire. The fire broke out shortly before 1:30 a.m. in a three-story row home near 51st and Chestnut Streets, according to a 6ABC News report. West Philly Local readers reported seeing a big, “raging orange” fire in the area.

A neighbor, Jamara Lamont-Boyd, who was walking by when the fire broke out, reportedly kicked the front door in and helped the house occupants escape the flames before fire crews arrived.

“…I kicked the front door in. I pulled the second door and yanked it in and banged and got the people out. There were people on all three floors,” Lamont-Boyd told ABC.

The building sustained damage from smoke and water. Luckily, no injuries were reported.

There was another, tragic fire in Philadelphia early Saturday morning. Four children died, several homes were destroyed and about 40 residents were displaced as the result of a fire that broke out around 2:40 a.m. in Southwest Philadelphia, in the Mount Moriah section, according to various reports.

UPDATE (9:20 p.m.): More reports are coming in on downed trees and limbs in the area. A red maple tree is down on Pine St between 45th and 46th:

Photo by West Philly Local

A huge limb is down on 47th St just north of Locust, too, according to a reader report.

8:02 p.m.:

Photo by Emily Collier

A severe thunderstorm blew through the city just before 7 p.m., knocking over trees. This tree was knocked over at 49th and Pine Streets and we also received a report of a tree down on Saint Bernard between Spruce and Pine. At least one car was also caught up in the fallen limbs, according to a neighbor report. The owner was on the scene, “looking pretty bummed,” according to a tweet. “That WAS some crazy rain,” one neighbor tweeted. We hope no one was injured in tonight’s storm.

If you see any downed wires please report them immediately to PECO by calling 1-800-841-4141.

Check out some of the latest news, upcoming events and other happenings around the neighborhoods.

• Around 700 homes in Kingsessing were still without gas service on Tuesday night due to a water main break near 56th St and Woodland Ave on Saturday, according to NBC10. The water main break caused a disruption to the natural gas line. Initially 60 homes in the area were affected but during the repair work, hundreds more homes were disconnected from natural gas service as far east as 52nd Street, according to reports.

• Good news for Marigold Kitchen fans! The highly-acclaimed Spruce Hill restaurant, whose owner Robert Halpern is moving on (and moving out of the state), is not closing after all, as was initially reported. Well, at least not for good. Halpern sold his business to his own chefs de cuisine, Tim Lanza and Andrew Kochan, both 26, The Insider reports. Halpern’s executive chef, Keith Krajewski, will also continue his work at this location, according to The Insider. The restaurant will serve its last dinner under Halpern’s ownership on Saturday, June 28. After that, it will close for some kitchen refurbishment work and will reopen in early September.

The English elms at The Woodlands (Photo courtesy The Woodlands)

• The Woodlands Cemetery and Mansion is asking the community to help them save seven English elm trees (they’re called “The 7 Giants”), some of the most significant historic trees on the grounds thanks to their size and age (they date back to the late 18th century). The trees are suffering from Dutch Elm Disease, which may kill them if left untreated. Treatment and monitoring of the disease is costly, so the Woodlands has started a fundraising campaign to help cover the costs. The initial goal is $20,000. For more information and to donate, click here.

• Little Baby’s Ice Cream has created a new flavor called the Works, now available at LBIC’s Cedar Park location (49th and Catharine). Proceeds from the sale benefit Neighborhood Bike Works, a non-profit that offers youth bike education programs and bike repair classes for adults.

• West Philly based art rock band The Chairman Dances will present their new album, The Death of Samuel Miller (out 6/27 via Grizzly Records), on Friday, June 27 at The Rotunda (40th and Walnut). Spelling Reform (Facebook page) and Vita and the Woolf (Facebook page) will also take part in the album release show, which begins at 8 p.m. ($10). The Chairman Dances’ song “Prophetess” was No. 2 in WXPN‘s list of the 5 best Philly songs of 2013. The music video for the new record’s single, “Dance to the Neighbor’s Stereo,” is streaming on Vimeo.

Photo by Bethany La Flamme

Over the weekend, SEPTA introduced a return to overnight subway service on Market Frankford and Broad Street lines, a pilot program that will be in effect through Labor Day. The new program means an uninterrupted, 24-hour subway service in Philadelphia (The Inquirer‘s Inga Saffron gets riders’ reaction to the return of the overnight train service).

Trains will now replace Nite Owl buses on weekends and holidays, including on July 4th and Labor Day. Buses continue to operate Nite Owl service on weekdays.

Here are some more details on how the overnight subway service will operate:

• SEPTA cashiers will staff major hubs and high ridership stations overnight on both lines. Where a cashier is present, riders will pay at the entrance gate.

• At unstaffed locations, signage will direct passengers through turnstiles to the Owl boarding location, where they will pay fares to the train operator at the head of the train before entering the train.

• Operators will accept exact cash fares, tokens, and passes. They will sell transfers, but will not give out change.

• Trains will run every 20 minutes between midnight and 5:00 a.m. Arrival times at the City Hall/15th Street Stations will be staggered by 10 minutes to accommodate transfers.

• Extra SEPTA police officers will be deployed to provide an enhanced level of security.

• A passenger guide with additional information and tips for riding is available online at www.septa.org/service/all-night.html

SEPTA used to have a 24-hour subway service, but it was replaced by buses in 1991 due to low ridership.

“Philadelphia has changed since that time,” SEPTA General Manager Joseph M. Casey said in a statement. “Now with all of the restaurants, increased late-night activity, and people moving back into the city, we’re excited to be able to provide this service that city, business leaders, and customers have been asking us for.”

Nearly 10,000 riders currently use the Nite Owl bus service on weekends, according to SEPTA’s report. SEPTA’s staff will evaluate ridership, staffing costs, overall security, and other factors to determine whether 24-hour weekend subway service will continue beyond the pilot program.

Here is a summary of some of the latest local news, upcoming events, and fundraising campaigns.

• Parents of West Philadelphia area school children are going to City Hall from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 12 to rally for funding for the public schools, according to an announcement by the Spruce Hill Community Association. A group is meeting outside the main entrance of Penn Alexander School (43rd & Locust) at 8:45 a.m. to travel by trolley together. The goal is to ask City Hall and Governor Corbett for much needed financial support for the school year 2014-15 and beyond. Children and community members are welcome to join the group.

Here’s the schedule:

10 – 10:15 a.m.: Press Conference Council 4th floor outside of Council chambers
10:20 – 10:40 a.m.: Make rounds and speak with other Council members
10:50 a.m.: Walk to Governor’s office at Broad and Walnut
11 a.m.: Press conference at Governor’s office
12 p.m.: Meeting with Governor’s staff and delivering letter to Governor’s office

• Curio Theatre is creating a ground breaking play about the Rev. Frank Schaefer who was defrocked in Lebanon PA for officiating his son’s gay wedding. The Frank Schaefer Project is Curio’s most ambitious production to date and needs help. The goal is $10,000 and there are 25 days to go. For more info and to donate, go here.

Magic Circle at PIC. (Photo from parentinfantcenter.org)

• The Parent Infant Center (PIC) is in the process of transforming their main play space into a nature-based outdoor classroom and playground for children, both at PIC and in the community, according to PIC’s Communication Manager Rachel Isaacson. The new space, called Magic Circle, will host a Make Music Philly event on Saturday, June 21 (more on this later). This will be a chance for PIC to not only celebrate music, but welcome their neighbors to the Magic Circle. Read more on the PIC News blog.

• If you’re looking to support a local cause this summer, try Ben & Jerry’s limited time “For the Birds” milkshake. $1.00 from each shake sold will benefit the Spruce Hill Bird Sanctuary. The shake features strawberry and vanilla ice cream blended together with chocolate sprinkles, with some Oreo’s on bottom, and topped off with fresh whipped cream and peanuts. From June 14th to June 28th at the 40th Street Ben & Jerry’s location (between Locust and Walnut).

• Local independent publisher The Head & The Hand Press will be hosting an opening at Milk & Honey Market (45th & Baltimore) on Thursday, June 12 at 6-7:30 p.m. to celebrate the new placement of their chapbook vending machine (a first one in West Philly!). The vending machine features $2 chapbooks from up-and-coming writers, many of which are Philadelphia area residents. The event will feature author readings from the Press’ newer chapbooks, including West Philly resident Patrick McNeil, Joey Sweeney (of local entertainment blog Philebrity), and Simone Zelitch (author of forthcoming novel, Waveland). The event is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be provided. No RSVP is required, but attendees are welcome to visit the event’s Facebook page.

Our #chapbook #vendingmachine is at @milkandhoneymkt! celebrate its new home w/ readings & refreshments this thurs! pic.twitter.com/4y82SV8YjR

— The Head & The Hand (@HeadandHand) June 8, 2014

West Philly Local readers are reporting that a porch collapsed this afternoon at around 2 p.m. at 4314-4316 Pine St. The fire department was on the scene. Neighbors say that the property has been neglected for a number of years.

“No one was home when this happened, thank goodness,” one neighbor wrote. (Photo by Deirdre Woods).