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Discarded cigarette sparked Five Spot fire

Philadelphia fire officials announced this morning that the fire last Saturday that destroyed the Five Spot nightclub in Old City was accidentally caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette.

Philadelphia fire officials announced this morning that the fire last Saturday that destroyed the Five Spot nightclub in Old City was accidentally caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette.

Executive Fire Chief Daniel Williams said the cigarette, discarded in a trash can behind the bar, caused the four-alarm fire that destroyed the popular club on narrow Bank Street, a block below Market Street near Second Street.

The fire, which was reported about 9:30 a.m. last Saturday, blazed for two hours before firefighters could bring it under control.

In addition to destroying the four buildings that made up the Five Spot, two other adjacent businesses sustained water damage.