Demolition of building in Old City fire expected to begin next week

Demolition on the Old City apartment building that was declared "imminently dangerous" and a "total loss" after a four-alarm fire ripped through it last weekend is expected to start next week, according to the Department of Licenses and Inspections.

The building owner at 239 Chestnut St. was ordered to remove the fire escape to relieve some weight off the property. That removal has been completed, according to city officials, allowing other cleanup efforts to move forward.

The demolition process will take about a week, L&I spokeswoman Karen Guss said. An iron facade at the building's first floor level will still be salvaged.

As the stretch of Chestnut Street returns to a new normal, some roads will remain closed while fire officials combat hotspot and crews assess damage to other properties, including bars and restaurants, that were also impacted by the fire. An investigation into the cause of the blaze is also ongoing.

The fire broke out around 3 a.m. Sunday and was placed under control shortly after noon on that day. About 150 people were evacuated in the process.

L&I has now cleared a number of properties for re-occupancy, including 229, 231 and 233 Chestnut St., 33 and 35 S. Third St., 37-39 S. Third St. and 32-42 S. Bank St.

>> READ MORE: Why do Old City buildings keep burning? | Inga Saffron

But for other buildings in the area, more work is needed.

Sababa Vapes, an electronic cigarette shop next door at 237 Chestnut St., will need to be shored before 239 Chestnut St. can be demolished, Guss said.

The building at 24 S. Bank St., which contains 60 residential units, cannot be reoccupied until fire-alarm systems are repaired and a firewall is constructed between that establishment and Sabada Vapes.

The Best Western Plus Independence Park Hotel at 235 Chestnut St. said in a Facebook post that the business would be closed until "further notice." The hotel added that emergency management officials had provided "invaluable" help in navigating the fire damage.

The Little Lion, a restaurant at 243 Chestnut St., said it would soon update diners on its status through social media.

The Department of Commerce is investigating "business recovery needs," according to city officials.

Officials have also been allowing residents at a number of other properties that are still unsafe for re-occupancy back into their respective buildings to grab medication, documents and other important belongings.

The following streets remain closed as firefighters continue to monitor hotspots and crews move in heavy equipment:

The origin and cause of the fire remain unknown, though an investigation by the Fire Marshal's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is underway.

Investigators haven't yet been able to get inside the building because of the continued efforts to fight hotspots, ATF spokeswoman Charlene Hennessy said in an email. In the meantime, they've been working outside the structure, she said.

Neighbors have told the Inquirer and Daily News that they heard an explosion that shook the apartment, while the building's owner has declined to speculate about a cause.

"We have also heard from witnesses about a possible explosion, however have not found any evidence of it nor of any devices at this point," Hennessy said.

David Perri, the L&I commissioner, told architecture critic Inga Saffron this week that the building at 239 Chestnut St. lacked sprinklers.

"We all spent the night on the street watching our homes go up in flames," Al Gury, who lived in a studio apartment in the building, said shortly after the blaze broke out.