Kensington

Older man dies, woman rescued from porch roof of burning Philadelphia rowhome

A man, identified by family members as Gregory Graham, died in a house fire on East Schiller Street on March 17, 2025

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Family members and neighbors are mourning a man who was killed in a house fire in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood. NBC10’s Miguel Martinez-Valle has the story. 

At least one person died and another was rescued from the porch roof of a rowhome in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood.

The deadly blaze broke out along East Schiller Street around 6:40 a.m. on Monday, March 17, 2025, Philadelphia firefighters said.

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An older woman was on the front porch roof when firefighters arrived minutes later, Philadelphia Fire Department Assistant Chief Charles Walker said. That woman was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation and other minor injuries.

Once inside the home, firefighters "found an elderly male victim on the first floor," Walker said.

Investigators said the fire was placed under control in just over 15 minutes.

Family members later identified the victim as Gregory Graham.

"I feel sad, I really do. I was hoping he would make it out too. It's a shame," Graham's sister, Deborah Graham, told NBC10. "I'm going to really miss him."

Walker said that there appeared to be no working smoke alarms in the home.

"This has been, like, the third fatality in less than two weeks," Walker said. "Unfortunately, sometimes people are under the impression that this tragedy will not strike them."

He urged people who don't have working smoke alarms to contact 311 so that the fire department can install working alarms.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

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