N.E. Phila. apartment fire displaces 250 residents

About 250 residents of a Northeast Philadelphia apartment complex were evacuated to a nearby school Thursday night after a fire knocked out power to their units, said Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers.

No injuries were reported as a result of the boiler-room fire, which was reported about 9 p.m. and placed under control about 40 minutes later at the Park Terrace Apartments, 8040 Rowland Ave., in the city's Holmesburg section, officials said.

The residents were directed to Joseph H. Brown Elementary School, 3600 Stanwood St., for shelter and were expected to be displaced for as long as a day, Ayers said. - Robert Moran