Firefighters battle six-alarm fire in Frankford

The 4600 block of Griscom Street in Frankford looked more like a skating rink than its normal mix of businesses and homes after 150 Philadelphia firefighters spent much of Saturday fighting a six-alarm fire.

A firefighter at the scene called the site a "collapse zone."

Crews arrived at the scene of the fire, which started at Joe's Auto Body repair shop, at about 9:35 a.m. It was brought under control at 2:03 p.m.

The fire spread back through the block to Frankford Avenue, damaging seven to eight buildings, most of them commercial, officials at the scene said. The auto shop collapsed, as did another building. SEPTA service nearby was suspended.

Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer said during an afternoon news conference that the cause of the blaze had not been determined. But wind gusts and cold hampered efforts to control it, he said.

"Once you have water flowing and this type of temperature, it freezes up quickly, you have slippery conditions for the members," he said, adding that salt trucks had been brought in to give firefighters more traction.

Saturday's high, just after midnight, was 24 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Sawyer said wind gusting to 20 to 30 mph helped spread the blaze.

Surrounding cars were coated with thick sheets of ice while piercing icicles hung from power lines.

One firefighter was taken to Temple University Hospital and was in stable condition.

A mother and infant who live nearby were taken to a hospital as a precaution, according to the American Red Cross. Two other families also had to leave their homes.

Seven dogs and two cats were in the care of Red Paw Emergency Relief Team, an organization that works with displaced pets.

A property at 1535 Orthodox St., around the corner from where the fire started, was enveloped by flames. It has had numerous fire-code violations dating to 2007, according to Licenses and Inspections Department records.

Because of the thick smoke, SEPTA officials closed the Margaret-Orthodox Station of the Market-Frankford Line, on Frankford Avenue, on Saturday afternoon.

All Market-Frankford Line trains heading to the 69th Street Transportation Center, at 69th and Market Streets in Upper Darby, were operating from the Erie-Torresdale Station, on Torresdale Avenue near Pike Street, SEPTA officials said.

SEPTA provided shuttle-bus service between the Frankford Transportation Center, at Frankford Avenue and Bridge Street, to the Erie-Torresdale stop.

shawj@phillynews.com215-854-2592 @julieshawphilly