Building Collapse in Philadelphia: Infant Thrown Out Window, 8 Injured (VIDEO)
A Philadelphia building collapse is under investigation after a row house crumbled to the floor injuring eight people, including an infant child.
People in the area where the row of connected brick homes were located say that they heard an explosion go off before the collapse occurred. At least eight people were injured during the incident, according to reports. Of those eight, it appears one the victims was a small infant. The baby was thrown out of a window, one witness to CNN affiliate KYW. The infant landed in the arms of a firefighter who had arrived at the scene.
Firefighters also hosed down victims who appeared to suffer burn injuries. Houses on either side of the building that collapsed were also badly damaged according to the Associated Press. At least three houses have been damaged. Following the explosion, a shower of bricks hit the street in front of the collapsed building, with some hitting cars nearby. At least one car that was parked directly outside of the building was nearly covered in bricks, the Associated Press reported.
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The area of the collapse is currently under evacuation as firefighters and other working crews scope the area for possible additional victims. Gas and utility crews also arrived at the scene in an attempt to discover what may have been the cause of the explosion.
Last month in Philadelphia a four-story of a vacant building collapsed, killing six people and injuring 13 in the store adjacent to the collapse. The inspector of the building also killed himself later that week, although police say there were no plans to file criminal charges against him.
Online users blamed corruption for the failing building structures.
"It's not about union or non union work in the city, it's about corrupt building inspectors getting paid off to walk away from buildings that aren't nearly up to code standards, i know firsthand working construction in Philly, anything goes if you can grease a palm," one user wrote on a CNN blog.
