A fire at an ATM appears to have been started by someone breaking into an area bank.
Philadelphia Police detectives told NBC10 that burglars broke into the back door the Wells Fargo location at S 3rd Street and Oregon Avenue in South Philadelphia and cut some wiring to try and disable the alarm some time before 5 a.m.
SkyForce10 hovered overhead as firefighters worked on the roof. Investigators said that a passerby spotted the ATM fire in the front of the bank and alerted police, according to Police Lt. Scott Drissel.
Drissel said it wasn't clear what caused the ATM to catch fire. The ATM appeared damaged including burned off paint.
It was also unclear if anything was taken from the bank.
Officers had to wait for special breathing equipment to arrive on scene before they could enter the bank to investigate because a chemical -- Ansul -- used to extinguish the blaze could release harmful fumes into the air. SWAT crews with respiratory masks arrived just before 7 a.m. to enter the building.
They found no one hiding inside the building.
Investigators hoped surveillance video from the location would help in the investigation.
Police didn't say if this incident was in any way connected to another bank robbery in South Philly overnight. Around 11:30 p.m. burglars cut the wires and got into the PNC bank location along Packer Avenue near S 16th Street -- that's about 1.5 miles from the Wells Fargo location.
Story will be updated.
Photo Credit: NBC10