Fatal W. Philly fire sparks 'brownout' policy questions

THE HEAVY fire that killed a 12-year-old boy with autism on Saturday night in West Philadelphia ignited a controversy about fire safety that smoldered thoughout the day yesterday.

The blaze that also damaged three neighboring homes rekindled the debate about the new city policy of "rolling brownouts" for fire stations and prompted angry neighbors to charge that the response was too slow - new policy or not.

City officials said that a truck responded in three minutes, and were quick to counter any argument that the program mandated by Philadelphia's budget crisis was to blame.

The debate raged even as details about the victim - whose name still has not been released by authorities, but who neighbors said was named "Frank" - were slowly emerging.

City fire officials said that the first alarm was received at 6:51 p.m. Saturday. Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers confirmed that the nearest fire company, Engine 57, at 5559 Chestnut St., had been shut down an hour before the blaze - as part of the city's budget cuts.

But Ayers also explained that when the 9-1-1 call was placed, Engine 57 was on routine maintenance and would have been unable to respond even under normal circumstances.

A woman was rescued from the porch roof of the home and two firefighters suffered minor burns. All three were taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

The blaze was under control by 7:27 p.m. Four Engines and two Ladder companies were on the scene.

More than a dozen people were displaced and residents immediately began pointing fingers at Mayor Nutter's brownout plan, which Ayers said is supposed to save the city $3.8 million in overtime.

"They're playing Russian roulette," said Joe Carroll, 49, whose mother's home was damaged by smoke. "Thank God they didn't lose a whole block."

Residents disputed the fire officials' three-minute arrival-time claim, saying that it took longer.

"Mayor Nutter said it wouldn't affect nobody. Now look," said Kervin Chambers Jr., 40, whose grandmother lived next door to the torched house. His grandmother's house was extensively damaged.

Ayers said that the brownout was not the issue. He said that residents failed to call 9-1-1 immediately, and the victim's home did not have a properly working fire alarm.

"A lot of things went wrong there, but the brownout isn't one of them," Ayers said. "You have to do the right thing for your family, and the key is to have an escape plan."

Neighbors said that a man who lived in the house was trying to get the 12-year-old out of the house but the boy pulled away and ran back in.

Ayers said that families should coach, and create escape plans for, people with mental and physical disabilities.

The boy's body was found on the second floor, fire officials said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

"It was much, much too late for the boy to be saved," Ayers said.

Neighbors described Frank as a happy child who had moved onto the cozy block with his family last year.

"He was just getting used to us," said Rubye Weaver, 72, whose home also was damaged. "He was a happy young man."

Neighbors said that the boy didn't talk much and he loved playing ball on the porch or on the sidewalk with neighbors and the man who lived with him.

"He would catch the ball and kiss it," said Virginia DeShields, who lived three houses down. "He had a 'Toy Story' doll he would carry all the time. He was a very happy kid."

Fire union leaders said that the maintenance cited by Ayers normally would have been done during the afternoon, and if Engine 57 were not browned out the maintenance could have been completed before the start of the night shift.

"It's a tragedy what happened," said Local 22 trustee Mike Kane. "We're never going to know if that company [Engine 57] could have made a difference."

Kane said that fire doubles every minute, adding that although Engine 68 responded in three minutes, Engine 57, nearly two blocks away could have responded quicker - perhaps within 90 seconds, which he said could have led to a different outcome.

"We're trying to explain to you people, this thing is dangerous," Kane said. "There are a lot of people out here who, when they call the Fire Department up, they need us to be there."