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Get on Eagles 'Road to Victory' Bus Tour

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Eagles excitement is building heading into their playoff showdown with the Falcons Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field and the "road to victory" is paved by a hype bus rolling through town.

NBC10 has teamed up with AAA to help get fans ready for the game with the Eagles' "Road to Victory" bus tour through Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The double-decker bus is wrapped in Eagles colors. Fans can write messages on the side of the bus and grab some free Eagles swag and cheer cards. It’s a good way to get pumped up ahead of the do-or-die battle of the birds.

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Catch Eagles fever (and the bus) at these stops (times are subject to change):

8 a.m. - Pennsylvania Convention Center, 11th and Market Streets, Philadelphia (Center City)

10 a.m. - Piazza at Schmidt’s, 1001 N 2nd St., Philadelphia (Northern Liberties)

11 a.m. - Reading Terminal, 51 N 12th St., Philadelphia (Center City)

1 p.m. - Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia

2 p.m. – Bala Cynwyd Shopping Center/Acme, 121 E City Ave, Bala Cynwyd, PA

More events are planned for the rest of the week so check back.

NBC10 is the official television station of the Eagles and it’s the only place (besides the Linc) you can catch the Eagles divisional playoff game at 4:35 p.m.



Photo Credit: NBC10

Hero NJ Transit Officer Wins Nearly $500K on NBC's 'The Wall'

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The New Jersey Transit police officer who heroically pulled a man off of railroad tracks last year just won nearly $500,000 on NBC's "The Wall."

Victor Ortiz exclaimed to his wife Evelyn "We're going home with half a million dollars!" at the end of the game show hosted by Chris Hardwick on Tuesday night after playing his way to $499,899 in winnings. It comes a little more than a year after the officer was caught on camera pulling a man to safety seconds before a train glides by. 

"This man was a hero," Hardwick said as the Ortiz family hugged and cried on the stage. "He saved a man's life and tonight he's going home with a lot of money, and that makes me really happy."


Ortiz's work as an NJ Transit officer and his rescue of 56-year-old Allan Jefferson on Aug. 21, 2016, figured heavily into the narrative of the show, where two contestants -- in this case Ortiz and his wife -- alternatively answer trivia and drop balls down a giant pachinko board for chances to win cash.

"We wanna help you win a lot of money, and maybe you won't have to work so many third shifts," Hardwick joked before the competition began.

Ortiz has kept the outcome of the show a secret for nine months, since it taped last April. He was back on patrol in Secaucus Junction Tuesday, the day after the show aired. 

"I walked in and everyone said, 'So what are we having for lunch today? Lunch is on you, right?'" said Ortiz. Indeed, he the officer bought lunch for everyone.

He says winning big means he doesn't have to worry about paying for his daughter to go to college. His wife recently finished treatment for breast cancer, so the family will celebrate her good health with a trip to London. 

"Here we are, after all we've been through, so let's enjoy our lives because we don't know what tomorrow will bring," he said. 


Ortiz's bravery earned him a spot on The Wall, and his wife Evelyn's bold strategy paid off in an emotional ending. The officer said he tries to give back as much as he receives: "The day I saved the guy's life, I was never expecting any pats on the back or accolades." 

Now that his winnings are no longer a secret, Ortiz says not much will change -- especially not with the job he looks forward to every day. 

"I love what I do, I wake up every morning wanting to do this job," he said. "It's a job that needs to be done, people need to be protected." 

Ortiz has a big party for family and friends Monday night in Union County, where they all learned just how well the family had done on The Wall. 




Photo Credit: Justin Lubin/NBC
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Emergency Declaration to Battle Opioids in Pa.

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Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf will declare the opioid crisis a statewide emergency. NBC10's Pamela Osborne has the details.

Philly IDs Resident Killed in Blaze That Claimed Firefighter

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Days after a row house fire killed two men, including a Philadelphia firefighter, the city has identified the resident killed in the blaze.

On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Health Department identified the victim as Delgara Lane. The 61-year-old resident died when flames consumed his North Colorado Street home Saturday morning.

Philadelphia Fire Lt. Matthew LeTourneau died after becoming trapped by a collapse during the fire fight. The 11-year veteran of the department later died at the hospital. His funeral will be held Friday.

No word yet on funeral plans for Lane.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation Wednesday.

Philly Animal Shelters Join Forces Toward 'No-Kill' Goal

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Eight out of 10 cats and dogs that came into Philadelphia shelters in 2017 purred or barked their way out the same way they went in: alive.

That's a huge increase from just 13 years ago, when the rate was closer to one out of 10. Still, shelter officials say there is room for even more improvement. The three large organizations that oversee animal control and sheltering in the city have teamed up with other animal rights groups and shelters to form the Philadelphia No-Kill Coalition.

The coalition, launched Wednesday after roughly a year in the works, has a mission "to end to the killing of healthy, treatable and manageable cats and dogs in the City of Philadelphia, promote humane alternatives for community cats, and, ultimately, attaining 100% safe placement of healthy and treatable pets."

The animal-save rate in city shelters in 2017 was 82 percent, all the way up from 11 percent in 2005. Numerous reasons for the steep rise include a large decrease in the total number of animals coming into shelters. That is due to neutering and spaying programs implemented by the non-profit that handles animal control for Philadelphia. 

The Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT), which operates on a city contract, replaced a city agency more than a decade ago. ACCT employs two full-time "community cat coordinators," who pro-actively spay and neuter feral cats. The effort has contributed to the number of animals at city shelters falling to 18,000 last year, from 30,000 six years ago.

"We have made tremendous progress in recent years and must continue that momentum," said Melissa Levy, executive director of the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). "Together, we will keep strengthening the safety net until every pet owner can get the help they need, and every savable homeless animal finds a home."

Showing the city's support for the effort, Mayor Jim Kenney joined leaders from the 12 groups, including the Pennsylvania SPCA, that make up the coalition at an event at City Hall.

For more information about the Philadelphia No-Kill Coalition, go to the coalition's new website, www.nokillphilly.com.



Photo Credit: Joseph Kaczmarek

In a 1st, Pennsylvania Declares Opioid Crisis a Disaster

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With opioids killing and devastating more people than any other health crisis in Pennsylvania's history, Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday declared a disaster emergency that suspends regulations hindering access to addiction care.

It's the first time a disaster emergency has been declared for a public health crisis in the commonwealth. Usually, disaster emergencies are reserved for major weather events such as a hurricane or for a terrorist attack.

"I don't take this action lightly. We know that this crisis has taken far to many lives. It has broken far too many families. It has decimated far too many communities and it has gone on for far too long," the governor said at an event formally announcing the declaration at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg.

The move eases some regulations that have been barriers to help for the addicted and their families. It will expire in 90 days as required by the state constitution.

The opioid epidemic has hit the commonwealth hard over the past few years. Pennsylvania has the fourth-higest overdose death rate in the United States. Preliminary data shared by Wolf shows 5,260 people died from drug overdose in 2017 — the highest tally ever recorded.

In 2016, more than 4,600 people were killed by overdoses, one of the highest numbers in the United States, according to medical examiner data compiled by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Opioids were present in 85 percent of those deaths.

The proliferation of illicit fentanyl, a opioid designed for use in medical settings that can cause an overdose in minuscule amount, has been a principal cause in large jumps in overdoses and deaths. Cities and states across the country have been grappling with the same issue.

Last year, Philadelphia began implementing recommendations from Mayor Jim Kenney's Heroin Task Force including increasing access to medicine-assisted treatment and court diversion programs. The Philadelphia Fire Department will launch an EMS unit this summer that's dedicated to responding specifically to drug overdoses in the city's Kensington and Fairhill neighborhoods.

Unlike past drug epidemics, rural and suburban counties across Pennsylvania have seen high casualties from opioids, which range in form from street heroin to prescription painkillers like Percocet, OxyContin, and Vicodin. Nationally, the crisis has cut life expectancy for 2nd year.

Wednesday's emergency disaster declaration reduces the bar for getting people into addiction treatment programs by waiving a requirement that a doctor must have a face-to-face interaction with a person before admitting them into a program. Hospitals won't be required to get a separate license to offer treatment, either.

The state will waive fees to have a duplicate birth certificate produced. The certificates are often required as proof of residency for insurance and treatment programs and can be a surprising barrier to getting help.

Medics responding to overdose calls will be able to leave behind additional doses of nalonxone so drug users can prevent death if another overdose happens in the future.

Pharmacists will be asked to provide the overdose reversal drug widely, likely for free or at a reduced price. Currently, anyone can purchase naloxone at a Pennsylvania pharmacy.

Better data collection is required under this declaration as well. It requires that overdoses and neonatal abstinence syndrome — the medical term applied to children born addicted to drugs — are added as reportable conditions and tracked by state and local entities. Often, health officials only have coroner data to rely on.

An Opioid Operation Command Center will launch within the state's emergency management agency and be staffed by employees of nine state departments including health, state police, and others.

Wolf has made the fight against the opioid crisis a major area of focus for his administration. The state launched a prescription drug monitoring program to cut down on doctor shopping and identify pill mills. His administration also provided funding to create treatment centers of excellence and increase access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone, known by the brand name Narcan.

Pennsylvania is the eighth state to declare the opioid crisis a disaster emergency. Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Virginia have previously made similar declarations. Wolf didn't rule out signing another emergency declaration in three months should officials need more time to better address the crisis.

This is a developing story. Check back shortly for updates.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

NBC10 Responds: Woman Wants Refund for Cemetery Plot

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A viewer paid for a cemetery plot and additional costs up front. When she changed her mind and got denied a refund, she called Harry Hairston and NBC10 Responds.

What Judge’s Decision on DACA Means for Dreamers

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A judge has temporarily blocked the ending of the DACA program. NBC10's Miguel Martinez-Valle found out what this means for Dreamers.


Bars and Restaurants Offer Deals for Eagles Playoff Game

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Many bars and restaurants in our area are offering special deals for Saturday's playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. NBC10's Keith Jones takes a look.



Photo Credit: NBC10

Bill Cosby Speaks on Upcoming Trial While in Old City

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Comedian Bill Cosby answered a question about his upcoming sexual assault trial after visiting a restaurant in the Old City section of Philadelphia.

Pothole Problems in Our Area

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Recent weather conditions have led to several potholes on Philadelphia roads. NBC10's Aaron Baskerville takes a look.

Young, Seemingly Fit Pa. Man Dies of Flu Complications

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A seemingly fit 21-year-old man is among the 18 people who have died from influenza complications in Pennsylvania during the current flu season.

The family of Kyler Baughman of Latrobe, Pennsylvania told NBC10 affiliate WPXI he was always into physical fitness and was going to school to be a personal trainer. When Baughman came home to visit during the holidays however, he appeared to be sick.

After celebrating with his family on Christmas, he returned to work on December 26 but went home early after not feeling well. Baughman’s fiancée told WPXI he was coughing and complaining of mild chest pain. Baughman’s condition grew worse the next day and he began running a fever on and off.

He was taken to a Westmoreland County emergency room and then flown to UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh. Less than a day later, on December 28, Baughman was pronounced dead. His family said he died from “organ failure due to septic shock caused by influenza.” They also said he never got a flu shot.

“I just think he ignored it and thought it’d go away like most people, and I think people need to pay more attention to their bodies,” Baughman’s mother told WPXI.

So far this season, 18 flu deaths have been reported in Pennsylvania. Baughman is the only victim between the ages of 19 and 49. One person under the age of 18 also died from the flu. The rest of the Pennsylvania victims are over the age of 50.

While the young, the sick and the elderly are most at risk during the flu season, doctors warn that young, healthy people aren’t immune.

“For young people, think of it in the perspective of college-age kids in a dorm situation, in close contact, with many other people,” Dr. Robyn Baron, medical director of Temple University Health System’s Readycare division told NBC10. “In that situation, that predisposes them to something contagious like influenza.”

While the flu season is in full swing, it’s not too late to get a flu shot.

“Immunizations are usually (available) up to March 30,” Dr. Baron said. “Those people at risk, they definitely want to immunize.”

To learn more about the flu and ways to stay healthy, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health website.



Photo Credit: WPXI

Fire Tears Through Family-Owned NJ Diner

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A popular family-owned South Jersey diner went up in flames overnight leaving the restaurant badly damaged and those that worked and ate there devastated.

Flames broke out around midnight at the Country Town Diner at 50 South White Horse Pike in Berlin. Smoke could be seen billowing into the air from miles away.

"It doesn't look good, no good," diner owner Thomas Giannisis said.

It would take firefighters about 90 minutes to bring the fire under control. No one was hurt.

The owner of the diner, a neighborhood fixture that was known as the White Horse Diner until about six months ago, said he and his parents closed around 10:30 p.m. after karaoke night Wednesday and was sleeping when he got the call.

More than one dozen employees are left without work.

"The customers are great, she loves coming to work every day, and she is going to be really upset over this," Kelly Reid, whose daughter works at the diner, said.

In the hours after the fire, Giannisis didn’t know if his family could reopen the diner but he "hopes he can" rebuild.

"I don't know where to go from here, to be honest," Giannisis said. "My mother is disabled, my father has heart problems... they are with me every day."

"It was our bread and butter."

The cause of the fire remained under investigation Thursday morning. Giannisis said he believes the fire began in the kitchen area.



Photo Credit: NBC10

Recall Issued in 23 States for Mary B's Frozen Biscuits

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Over a dozen Mary B's frozen bagged biscuit products were recalled voluntarily by Hom/Ade Foods, the company announced Tuesday, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses connected to the product have been reported, according to a news release from Hom/Ade. The product's manufacturer, an outside co-packer, discovered the problem during a product sampling.

The products were sold in stores after being distributed to the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Find a list of the Mary B's products affected here — each one has a "best if used by" date, found on the back of the bag on the lower right corner, that reads "Sep 23  2018 M."

The affected products may be returned to the place they were purchased for a full refund, and anyone with questions can call Hom/Ade at 855-562-7773 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious, possibly fatal infections in the very young and old as well as people who are frail or have weakend immune systems.



Photo Credit: Hom/Ade Foods

NJ Man Stripped of US Citizenship for Using False Name

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The Justice Department says a New Jersey resident has been stripped of his citizenship after authorities learned he used a false name when he entered the United States more than 25 years ago.

Carteret resident Baljinder Singh's citizenship was revoked Friday after he was accused of using an alias to avoid deportation. Prosecutors say Singh, who was born in India, arrived in the U.S. in 1991 with no proof of identity, giving the name Davinder Singh.

After failing to appear for his immigration court hearing, Singh was ordered to be deported on Jan. 7, 1992. Four weeks later, he filed an asylum petition under the name Baljinder Singh, claiming to have entered the United States without inspection.

Singh eventually abandoned his asylum petition and married a U.S. citizen in 1996. He became a naturalized citizen in 2006 when his wife filed a visa petition on his behalf.

Singh is the first person de-naturalized under Operation Janus. Launched in 2010, the Homeland Security Department initiative revokes citizenship of those who circumvented background checks during the naturalization process.

As a lawful permanent resident, Singh could face deportation

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which dedicated a team to review Operation Janus cases, plans to refer about 1,600 additional cases for prosecution, the Justice Department said in a statement.



Photo Credit: Mary Altaffer/AP

Firefly Music Festival Lineup Revealed

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Rapper Eminem and rock band The Killers are among the headliners for this year's Firefly Music Festival in Delaware. 

Also sharing top billing at the East Coast's largest music festival are rapper Kendrick Lamar and English rock band Arctic Monkeys.

The lineup also includes Lil Wayne, Logic, Sza, Portugal. The Man, Jimmy Eat World, MGMT and a DJ set from Mike D.

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This year's festival runs June 14-17 in Dover. 

Online sales for general admission and VIP tickets begin Friday at 10 a.m., with general admission passes starting at $269.

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Photo Credit: Getty Images
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From Balmy to Brutal: 40° Temp Drop for Eagles Game

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Don't let the 60-degree weather fool you, winter is coming back with a vengeance and it'll arrive just in time for the Philadelphia Eagles playoff game on Saturday.

Temperatures will plummet by 40 degrees in less than 24 hours as heavy rain soaks the region between Friday and Saturday. Eagles fans either tailgating or sitting in the stands at Lincoln Financial Field will take the brunt of the frigid shift.

We've issued a First Alert from 4 p.m. Friday through 10 a.m. on Saturday.

A large winter storm — the same system that touched off the deadly mudslides in Southern California — will arrive early Friday morning. You'll see periods of rain, sometimes heavy, through the day.

In the end, as much as 2-inches of rain could inundate the region.

Melting snow and the frozen ground could produce localized flooding as storm runoff overwhelms drains and smaller streams.

Warm air clashing with the storm front could spark spring-like thunderstorms Friday night. The rain will tapper off by Saturday morning, but then the temperature slide starts.

It'll be around 63-degrees at 4 a.m. in Philadelphia. That won't last:

  • By 7:30 a.m., we'll drop into the 50s.
  • At prime tailgating time, around 2:30 p.m., it'll feel like the 20s.
  • And by 6:30 p.m., the winds will make it feel like the teens.

Wind guts as high as 40 mph will help make it feel below freezing. Anyone spending a long time outside on Saturday will want to pack extra layers so they can cover up as the temperatures drop.

We'll be updating the forecast as the storm nears, so check back for updates. Also, you can track the storm in real-time using live radar as it moves through your neighborhood and get our latest forecast anytime in the free NBC10 app. Tap here to download it now.



Photo Credit: Chris Szagola/AP

Costly Pa. Charter Schools Underwhelm Academically: Report

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More than two decades since charter schools were authorized in Pennsylvania, their effect on public education across the state remains inconsequential to improving student performance, and costly to local districts, a new report found.

"A greater share of traditional public school students met grade level expectations" than their charter school counterparts on 2016 state tests, the Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) said in the report released Thursday.

The non-profit also described charter school costs for local school districts that "keep rising" in the form of "stranded costs," which is the money it takes to continue to support traditional schools that have less children. More than 130,000 Pennsylvania students now attend charter schools. Some 60,000 of those students live in Philadelphia.

"If 28 children are in a classroom and two leave to attend a charter school, the district does not close a classroom," the report said. "It spends the same amount on space for the remaining students, the teacher’s salary, benefits and pension costs, etc."

It is the newest collection of data in a long-running debate between school choice advocates who have successfully pushed for expansion of charters in districts across the state and supporters of traditional public education.

In Philadelphia, charter schools have been the most polarizing educational issue of the last two decades. Charter accountability and expansion will remain at the top of the debate among city leaders when a school board is appointed in the next couple months to replace the deposed School Reform Commission.

The PCCY report goes on to call for state oversight that imposes stronger fiscal management and transparency of charter schools and a framework for increasing test scores of charter students.

"Regardless of performance, charter costs keep rising for school districts and taxpayers," the report said. "Adopting potent legislation that rewards high quality schools with an expedited renewal process and closes poor performers would encourage schools to strive for excellence."

To read the entire report titled "Expanding High Quality Charter School Options: Strong Charter School Legislation Matters," here is a direct link.

Saying Goodbye to a Hero: Funeral Details for Firefighter

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Firefighters, friends, and family are remembering a fallen veteran Philadelphia firefighter as he is laid to rest.  

Two viewings and a funeral Mass for Fire Lt. Matthew LeTourneau at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul on 19th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Center City Philadelphia are open to the public.

Here are the funeral service details:

Public Viewing: Thursday from 4:30 to 9 p.m. and Friday starting at 9 a.m.

A procession will depart Engine 43 at 21st and Market Streets at 8:15 a.m. Friday and proceed east on Market Street to 18th Street then north on 18th to the Cathedral. The procession is expected to arrive at the Cathedral at 8:35 a.m.

Funeral Mass: Friday starting at 11 a.m.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney; Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel; and Lt. LeTourneau's brother, Luke LeTourneau, will speak.

Burial will follow at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery in Springfield, Delaware County.

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LeTourneau, an 11-year veteran of the Philadelphia Fire Department, was one of 100 firefighters who responded to a row home fire on the 2200 block of North Colorado Street shortly before 9 a.m. Saturday. He became trapped inside the home after a structure collapsed. He was pulled out by fellow firefighters and taken to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

"I am deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Lt. Matthew LeTourneau," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said. "I am grateful for his outstanding service to our city during his 11-year career. It is always a tragedy to lose a first responder in the line of duty. Lt. LeTourneau sacrificed his life trying to save others."

Besides his work with the Philadelphia Fire Department, LeTourneau also trained firefighters and spent time at the Delaware County training facility. He was a native of Delco.

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The Funeral Mass will be live streamed for Delaware County fire, police and EMS personnel at Cardinal O’Hara High School (1701 S. Sproul Rd Springfield, PA) and communion will be available, according to county officials.

"Delaware County continues to mourn the loss of Lt. Matthew LeTourneau," Delco Council Chairman John McBlain said. "We thank all of the first responders for their coordinated efforts to plan the transportation, live streaming for the community to pay their final respects, and the final salute and honor at the burial site."

Expect the processional to weave from Center City to Delaware County.

A resident, identified as Delgara Lane, also died in the fire, which remained under investigation Thursday. Two other firefighters were treated at a hospital for undisclosed injuries.

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City Mourns Philly Fire Lt. Who Died in N. Philly Blaze

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Loved ones are mourning Philadelphia Fire Lieutenant Matthew LeTourneau, 42. The 11-year veteran died Saturday morning while battling a house fire in North Philadelphia.

Photo Credit: Joseph Kaczmarek
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