Residents evacuated again after electrical fire at senior apartment complex

In Philadelphia, on July 29, 2025, firefighters worked late into the night to control an electrical fire at the Courtyard Apartments at Riverview. The blaze erupted just before 7 p.m. at the senior apartment complex located at South 4th Street near Washington Avenue in the Queen Village neighborhood. This incident marked the second fire of its kind at the complex within a span of five weeks, raising concerns among residents about the safety and reliability of the building's electrical systems. Firefighters faced challenging hot and humid conditions as they battled the flames for more than five hours. To provide assistance, the Philadelphia Second Alarmers offered rehabilitation services to the firefighting crews while SEPTA deployed a cooling bus for the displaced residents. Many of these senior residents expressed frustration, highlighting the impact of the repeated evacuations on their daily lives. Sam Holbrook, a resident of the complex, lamented the loss of his food due to the evacuations and criticized the lack of reimbursement from the apartment management. He noted that attempts to reach the corporate office in New Jersey were met with silence, leaving residents feeling abandoned. Just a month prior in June, over 200 residents were also evacuated following another electrical fire. During that evacuation, power was cut by PECO, leaving many without electricity for several hours. Residents expressed anxiety about the repeated occurrences, fearing that more fires could likely happen in the future. The American Red Cross responded by setting up a temporary shelter at Kensington High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, although it's unclear how many residents sought assistance from this location. The community's circumstances have raised alarms regarding the overall safety of the complex and the adequacy of emergency response measures.