Philly FD Wants Help Finding who Started 3-Alarm, Other Fires

The Philadelphia Fire Department asked the public Sunday for help identifying the individuals responsible for setting fires that erupted during protests throughout the city Saturday.

Firefighters received 156 fire incident calls and battled four working fires Saturday, the department said. The city also had 703 EMS incidents.

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A large three-alarm fire broke out shortly before 9 p.m. at a three-story building on Walnut Street in the Center City area, WTXF-TV reports. More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze, which spread to several businesses and injured one person.

Crews were able to control the fire shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday. Firefighters, however, remained on the scene to put out any lingering hot spots.

Along with the three-alarm blaze, firefighters also handled other incidents involving burning trash cans, buildings and vehicles in the Center City area. Flames engulfed as many as four police cruisers, with only the burned-out chassis remaining of three that were parked on JFK Boulevard.

A peaceful rally to protest police brutality and racism began Saturday afternoon outside City Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. By sunset, however, the demonstrations had escalated, and stores and businesses were looted and set on fire.

Philadelphia fire officials went on social media to ask for videos and photos that might provide evidence with who started the fires. The department said that information could be given anonymously.