One of the three women injured after bricks crashed through the roof of a popular Center City store thanked the people who saved her life.
"I wanted to extend my sincere thanks to the unknown people who helped me get out from under the rubble at Lululemon," said 27-year-old Alli Friedman in a released statement. "You are heroes who helped someone you didn't know. Thank you!"
Friedman and her two friends were inside the Lululemon Athletica store on 1527 Walnut St. Tuesday around 3:25 p.m. As they were shopping, a parapet wall on the east side of a building on 1529 Walnut St. dislodged and fell onto the store's roof. Friedman and her friends were hurt as the roof of the store partially collapsed.
"She said all of a sudden they heard rumbling and the next thing you know, she was at the bottom, buried," said Friedman's father Howard Edelman.
Friedman and her two friends were rescued by first responders and taken to Hahnemann Hospital where they were treated and later released.
"I also wanted to thank the Philadelphia Fire Department and the EMTs who transported me and my friends to the hospital," Friedman said. "Also, thanks to the emergency room staff at Hahnemann Hospital for their compassion and professional care."
Officials with Licenses and Inspections believe water infiltration as well as freezing and thawing could have caused the brick to become dislodged in the wall of the 1529 building.
"In general water infiltration combined with extreme weather conditions can result in deteriorated structures in older masonry buildings," an L&I spokesperson wrote. "Our records indicate the building at 1529 Walnut Street was built in 1926."
The owner of the 1529 building hired the Harman Group, Structural Engineers and William Proud Masonry Restoration Co. Inc to stabilize and repair the property, according to L&I.
"The Department confirmed that all loose masonry debris has been removed; the wall has been sealed and flashed to prevent any further water infiltration," the spokesperson wrote. "Tomorrow the wall will be secured using temporary steel bracing that will span along the entire length of the rooftop penthouse where the parapet partially collapsed."
After the repairs at 1529 Walnut St. are finished, the owner of Lululemon will conduct an engineering survey of the building and begin shoring and repairing the collapsed roof. L&I officials will continue to monitor repairs to both buildings.
The executive vice president of a popular EDM concert that has recently generated controversy spoke during a town meeting in Wildwood, New Jersey Wednesday.
Heather Kunkel, an executive vice president of BeachGlow: Concerts for Charity, read a statement during the meeting, defending the concert and addressing several recent allegations. Kunkel's son, 19-year-old Dane Kunkel, created the concert three years ago. More than 7,000 people attended the Festival at East Garfield Avenue and the Boardwalk in Wildwood last year. The electronic dance music show raises money for a selected charity or cause. BeachGlow raised $40,000 for the American Red Cross during last year’s concert.
Another BeachGlow Music Festival is set to take place between two piers in Wildwood over the July 4th weekend. City officials are also in the process of finalizing a three year contract with BeachGlow.
Yet some in the Wildwood community are not happy about the concert’s return due to complaints the concert received regarding underage drinking, arrests and profanity from the performers.
“We don’t want not only children but adults exposed to this kind of language,” said Steve Tecco, the President of the Greater Wildwood Hotel and Motel Association.
Officials with Morey’s Piers also wrote a letter to Wildwood mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. opposing the concert’s return. The letter cites the 37 arrests made during the last show as well as reports of widespread underage drinking, including an incident in which a teenage boy was found wandering half-naked after soiling his clothing.
“We’re trying to create revenue for the city without blackening the eye of the city,” Mayor Troiano Jr. said. “Yeah, kids get stupid and do stupid things but it’s not just because of the EDM concert.”
In the statement she read during Wednesday's meeting, Heather Kunkel denies allegations that the concerts are associated with alcohol and drugs. She also assured the town that organizers were equipped to handle the event and refuted claims that the city of Wildwood failed to provide documentations of paid services provided to BeachGlow. She also addressed the complaints of foul language and the claim that 37 people were arrested during one of the concerts.
YOU CAN READ HER FULL STATEMENT HERE.
An investigation is underway after a report of a sex scandal in the Philadelphia fire department.
The Philadelphia Firefighter’s Union confirmed with NBC10 that the city’s Inspector General’s Office is currently investigating the department. They did not reveal the reason why however or go into further detail.
The Philadelphia Daily News is reporting that the investigation is related to allegations of sexual encounters in firehouses across the city. A female paramedic filed an unspecified complaint against another employee which led to allegations that she had sexual encounters with several Philadelphia firefighters, paramedics and supervisors in firehouses both on and off-duty, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.
Sources with the paper also reported the paramedic has photos, texts and videos implicating the men.
The City of Philadelphia has not formally addressed the allegations and it’s unclear at this time how many city staff members are allegedly involved.
A baby boy died at a Delaware day care Wednesday, sparking a police investigation.
The 10-month-old boy was found unresponsive by a worker at Handy’s Little Disciples day care on Layton-Davis Road in Millsboro, Delaware. The worker tried to wake the baby up but was unable to do so.
Police were called to the day care and the baby was taken to Beebe Healthcare in Lewes, Delaware where he was later pronounced dead. Police have not yet identified the child. Officials at the Delaware Division of Forensic Science are trying to determine a cause of death.
This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
A police officer rushed into a South Philadelphia home early Thursday morning as flames tore through the property, claiming the lives of two people who were trapped inside.
There were no working smoke detectors in the home on the 400 block of Daly Street, near Wolf and 4th streets, where the fire broke out around 1:30 a.m., said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer.
The officer, who was first at the scene, entered the home to try to save the two residents -- a man and his girlfriend, but was unable to reach them through the heavy smoke and flames, officials said.
Fire crews were on the scene within three minutes of receiving the call, Saywer said. The blaze, which began in the first floor of the home before spreading, was brought under control within 20 minutes, he said.
Family members said the couple had space heaters running and candles lit to help heat their home, however fire officials have yet to confirm those details.
"I didn't know what to do," said Christina Andrews, a relative of the man killed in the blaze. "I wanted to run towards it, but he grabbed me back."
The man had recently returned home from a local hospital, where he received treatment for pneumonia, said Andrews, who said both he and his girlfriend were killed.
The 2nd floor of the home had recently undergone repairs for a fire that occurred several years ago, she added.
Authorities have not yet identified the victims. The police officer was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.
No word yet on the fire's cause.
The deadly tragedy occurred on the same block where an explosion leveled three homes and injured eight people, including two infants, in 2013.
Sawyer reminded the public to make sure they have working smoke alarms in their homes and provide ample room for space heaters. He also suggested families create an escape plan in case of fire.
A salt truck headed to the scene of a main break in Cheltenham Thursday morning as water spewed across area roads, causing icy conditions for local drivers.
An 8-inch cement line broke near Ashbourne and Oak Lane roads shortly after 5:30 a.m., officials said.
Police blocked off the nearby streets to prevent motorists from heading down the dangerous and slippery streets.
Nearby residents may be experiencing low water pressure as crews work to repair the break.
A viewing and funeral service will be held for a Pennsylvania teacher whose body was found Sunday in the Schuylkill River.
A viewing for Christopher Tully, 40, will be held Thursday, Jan. 29, between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the Monti-Rago Funeral Home on 2531-35 South Broad Street in Philadelphia. Another viewing for Tully will be held Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. at the same home.
Tully's funeral will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at the Epiphany of Our Lord Church on 11th and Jackson streets in Philadelphia.
Tully's body was pulled from the Schuylkill River around 1:20 p.m. Sunday in the water off Kelly Drive near the Falls Bridge in East Falls.
Tully had gone missing after jumping out of his parent's car along the City Avenue Bridge near East Falls on Jan. 6. He was last seen running south on City Avenue towards the Schuylkill Expressway.
Tully, an award-winning teacher at the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology and father of three, suffered from depression and was on his way to treatment when he ran away, said his loved ones.
"Even though he's 40, he's still my baby and I want him to come home," said his mother Mary Tully.
A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for a reward for information leading to his whereabouts. The reward reached $10,000.
Investigators have not yet revealed how Tully died. They continue to investigate.
A spokesperson for the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology released a statement on Tully's death.
"Mr. Tully will be remembered as an exemplary teacher who spent 12 years on staff with us, having a positive impact on the lives of our students and all with whom he worked," the spokesperson wrote. "In 2014 he was named Outstanding Career and Technical Educational Teacher by the Pennsylvania Association for Career and Technical Education. We knew him as an outstanding teacher and person."
Shots struck two men in a car in Philadelphia early Thursday morning, sending their vehicle across a sidewalk and into a home. Police said one was killed.
The 20-year-old driver, who was shot in the head and hand, was speaking to police when they arrived at the scene of the crash on the 5500 block of American Street in the Olney section of Philadelphia around 12:45 a.m., officials said.
Unaware that he had been shot, the man told police he was hurt from the accident, authorities said.
The driver and a 21-year-old male passenger were rushed to Albert Einstein Medical Center for treatment. The driver was pronounced dead a short time later, but police said the passenger is still alive in critical condition.
Three other passengers — one of whom may have been the gunman — were in the vehicle when the crash occurred, police said.
All three ran from the scene. Investigators recovered a handgun from the vehicle.
Burglars tore through a a Center City yoga and athletic apparel store early Thursday morning-- less than two days after bricks smashed through the retailer's roof, injuring three women.
Officers found the door of the Lululemon Athletica store, located at 1527 Walnut St., busted in and clothes scattered throughout the store early Saturday morning, police said.
Lululemon had been closed since Tuesday evening, when the facade of a neighboring building crashed through the roof, causing a portion of the ceiling to collapse onto three 27-year-old friends, who were inside shopping at the time.
All three woman were treated at Hahnemann University Hospital and released. One of the victims, Alli Friedman, released a statement Wednesday thanking rescuers and hospital staff for their help.
Investigators are still working to determine exactly how much was stolen in the burglary, which occurred sometime overnight.
A bomb threat forced an evacuation at the Montgomery County Courthouse Thursday morning, disrupting the scheduled swearing-in ceremony of the suburban county's new commissioner.
"Due to a bomb threat in the Montgomery County Courthouse, the swearing in ceremony for Montgomery Coutny Commissioner Val Arkoosh will be held in the Commissioners boardroom on the 8th floor of One Montgomery Plaza at Airy and Swede streets at 9 a.m.," the county spokesman said.
The evacuation took place around 8:30 a.m.
The courthouse is located at 2 E. Airy St. in Norristown.
Stay with NBC10 for more on this developing story.
Police are still searching Thursday for a 22-year-old man with development disabilities two days after he was last seen at his West Philadelphia home.
Rashon Clark was reported missing Tuesday. Investigators said he was last seen at his residence on the unit block of North Dewey Street.
Classified as an endangered mission person, Clark suffers from global development delay and ADHD, police said.
He is known to frequent the area near Market Street between 61st and 63rd streets.
Authorities described Clark as 6-foot 5-inches tall and approximately 230 pounds, with brown eyes, short brown hair and a medium build.
He was last seen wearing blue jeans, black and white sneakers, and a puffy black coat.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact Southwest Detective Division at 215-686-3183
