The West Philly-based feline rescue group City Kitties announced this morning that it will stop attempting to rescue cats that may still be inside the Windermere Court building because it is becoming more structurally unstable.
Our trapping efforts inside the Windermere are over. The building is deteriorating, & we had to weigh the safety of the humans involved against the possibility of finding more cats. None of the 5 traps had any food eaten out of them or paw prints inside. We feel confident that no cats remain inside. Doors & some windows are open; cats DO have an opportunity to escape.
City Kitties has a page that lists the cats, including photos, that are still missing at the Windermere.
ABC6 has a story about a parishioner at the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral (3723 Chestnut St.) who has leveraged the savings from clipping coupons to help fund the church’s community outreach efforts.
If you have been following the saga of Rocco, a cat stranded in the Windermere Court Apartments, you will be happy to know that City Kitties is reporting that he has made it out. The orange tabby was rescued this morning.
Meanwhile, City Paper is reporting today that Windermere residents who have been waiting outside the building for access to some of their belongings are worried that the ice, which may have helped keep the floors and ceilings stable, is beginning to melt in the warm weather. The melting may affect the ability of demolition crews to salvage more belongings.
The demolition of the building has been put on hold indefinitely. The Department of Licenses and Inspection has said that the decision to demolish the building rests with the owners, who have not been available for comment.
2:46 p.m.: Police say no arrests were made at the fire last night, but that some people were resistant to leave their apartments.
Fire officials are still investigating the cause of the two-alarm fire that destroyed the top two floors of the four-story building at 4500 Walnut St. last night. Two people were hospitalized. The fire began in the apartments above Saad’s Halal Restaurant, which is on the ground floor.
Fire department spokesman Chief Richard Davison said the fire appeared to start on the third floor, trapping residents on the fourth floor inside the building. Firefighters rescued several residents from the fourth floor.
Fire crews received the call at 6:46 p.m. and the fire was under control by 7:36 p.m.
A heavy police presence was also on the scene and a man was pulled from the building, handcuffed and led away from the scene. Police would not comment on why the man was placed into custody. We posted video of that incident last night here.
Saad’s suffered water damage and as of this morning had not reopened. Plates and food were still on tables inside the restaurant at about 8 a.m. this morning, evidence of people fleeing.
10:14 p.m. The fire heavily damaged the third and fourth floors at 4500 Walnut St. Saad’s Halal Restaurant is on the ground floor of the building. We talked to Saad at the scene and he said his place has sustained heavy water damage. The Southeastern PA chapter of the Red Cross is reporting that 12 of the 15 apartment units in the building were destroyed. The Red Cross is currently providing assistance to 30 people displaced by the fire. Three people, including one firefighter, were reportedly taken to the hospital.
8:19 p.m. The fire has been extinguished and there have been no injuries, according to a fire official on the scene who asked not to be named. The fire began in a fourth floor apartment in a four-floor building on the southwest corner of 45th and Walnut. Firefighters heard an explosion from the apartment at one point. It is still unclear why the man in the video was handcuffed. Police on the scene would not comment.
7:20 p.m. A multi-alarm fire is burning near the corner of 45th and Market Streets. The fire appears to be south of Saad’s restaurant at the corner of 45th and Walnut. One man was pulled from the building, down a ladder and handcuffed. Police have taken over the scene and could supply no information on the fire or the arrest. At least one other person was pulled from the building and placed on a stretcher.
The area around the fire was quickly declared a crime scene with multiple police units responding, including plain clothes police. The fire itself was not visible from 45th street. It appeared to be in a low-rise building one or two doors south of Saad’s.
Messages in support of Rocco on the City Kitties Facebook page.
The West Philly feline rescue group City Kitties is still hard at work trying to save at least one cat still inside the Windermere Court Apartments. A brown tabby named Rocco had been spotted in the basement. A demolition worker apparently captured Rocco, but the cat was able to break free and is back on his own. City Kitties is now reporting that crews had seen Humbert in the basement, not Rocco. Humbert was rescued this morning (see below). So the hunt for Rocco continues. If Humbert can make it out, there is no reason to believe that Rocco can’t.
Rocco has achieved rock star status on the City Kitties Facebook page, with fans cheering him on. City Kitties have set up humane traps in an attempt to rescue Rocco. City Kitties writes:
“Rocco is a front-declawed brown tabby with white paws, wearing a purple collar. No photo available at this time. If you see a cat matching this description, please contact City Kitties immediately. Rocco lived on the 1st floor, east end of the building.”
Humbert was rescued from the Windermere this morning.
Meanwhile, another Windermere cat has been reunited with his owner. Humbert was found this morning, some 37 days after the fire. His two sisters, M2 and Sadie, were rescued earlier.
City Kitties provides a complete guide on how to help the cats and voice your concern on their website here.
Here is an excerpt from the guide:
You can help by donating food (canned or dry), old towels or blankets, and bleach (for cleaning traps) to Project MEOW. Email projectmeow@gmail.com or visit their facebook page for details. Become a City Kitties foster home so that we can help as many of these cats as possible. Please do NOT place cat food in the area around the building, as this will discourage cats from entering the traps.
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