Firefighters spent hours battling a burning linen warehouse in Northeast Philadelphia's Frankford neighborhood on Christmas Eve into Christmas morning. The smoky blaze led to the health department warning residents to stay inside on Christmas.
SkyForce10 was over the scene at the Arway Linens company at Duffield and Foulkrod streets after it broke out around 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 24, 2024.
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At one point the fire spread to three alarms, "which means about 120 PFD members were at the scene — firefighters, medics, chiefs, and support personnel," the Philadelphia Fire Department said on Facebook.
More than 12 hours later the firefight continued, firefighters said.
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"Twelve hours later -- at 9:30 a.m. on Christmas Day -- members were still at the scene extinguishing hot spots," firefighters said. "No injuries have been reported, and the cause will be investigated by our Fire Marshal's Office."
"Our companies did a good job containing it to the building where it was," Philadelphia Fire Incident Safety Officer Troy Gore said.
"Nobody was hurt and that's the really best thing out of the whole situation," neighbor Gary Whitfield said.
'We are okay. Our building is not' as deliveries continue for Arway
In a social media post, Arway confirmed no one was hurt, but the building is a loss.
"We are okay. Our building is not," the company wrote on Facebook Christmas evening.
Hours later, Arway released a more robust statement confirming they would continue with deliveries the day after Christmas.
"Our facility in Frankford is gone," The Arway Linen Team wrote. "We want to thank all responders for their incredible efforts in containing this three-alarm fire for over twelve hours on the eve of the holiday season.
"While we are already underway with our new state-of-the-art facility in Port Richmond, we want to address the immediate future for our current customers.
"Our dedication to serving you doesn't change. We will continue with our holiday service schedule starting tomorrow morning. As we replenish our lost inventory, our product offerings will temporarily be modified.
"Please reach out to service@arwaylinen.com with any immediate questions or concerns. If you'd like to leave a voicemail for our team, please call (215) 535-1313.
"We are all-hands-on-deck as we navigate through the challenges and emotions of losing our home for 40 years. We sincerely appreciate your patience and compassion during this difficult time. Thank you."
Air quality warning leads to warning to stay indoors
People living near the fire scene were told to stay indoors on Christmas morning.
"The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is warning residents to avoid the area or try to stay inside," the health department said late on Christmas morning. "The Health Department has dispatched inspectors to the area to collect air samples to assess air quality and the potential for any threat."
Despite the warning, health officials didn't immediately warn of an specific hazards.
"At this time, no specific hazardous substances have been identified, and the Department is taking this action out of an abundance of caution," the health department said.
"Residents in the area should take precautions to avoid unnecessary exposure to smoke," health officials said.
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