Philadelphia (CNN) -- Two Philadelphia firefighters died early Monday and three others were injured when the wall of a building collapsed as they battled a five-alarm fire, officials said.
The collapse occurred about 5:50 a.m. as the five were inside a furniture store, said Deputy Fire Commissioner Ernest Hargett Jr.
Four of the firefighters were trapped inside, he said, but the fifth was able to get free. Firefighters were forced to move brick and timber by hand and cut through some materials to rescue the others, Hargett said.
The initial report of the blaze came in at 3:13 a.m., Hargett said. Responding firefighters issued four additional alarms as the flames burned out of control for two hours and embers set surrounding buildings ablaze.
The furniture store was one of the surrounding buildings, he said, and the five were "investigating an extension of fire" inside when the collapse occurred.
The firefighters who died were 60 and 25 years old, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said. "We have a veteran firefighter and we have a new firefighter," he told reporters. The firefighters' names will be released later Monday, officials said.
One injured firefighter was admitted to a local hospital, and the other two were being evaluated, Ayers said.
"Right now, we're asking for prayers for the families," he said. "We're asking for everybody to be supportive. We're asking that you respect the firefighters, their families, their lives."
The last time multiple Philadelphia firefighters died in the line of duty was 2004, Ayers said, and the last firefighter death was in 2006.
"This is absolutely a tragedy," the commissioner said. "No one wants to lose anyone."
The cause of the fire was under investigation Monday, Ayers said.
- CNN
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