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Monday, Dec. 29, 2025
The Daily Pennsylvanian

Large fire breaks out in West Philadelphia

Blaze not expected to put surrounding area at risk

	Thick smoke rises from a fire at a junkyard at 1620 S. 49th St., as seen from the Smilow Research Center.

Smoke could be seen billowing over campus on Tuesday afternoon as a junkyard at the intersection of Grays Avenue and 49th Street caught fire.

A fire broke out around 4 p.m. and encompassed the equivalent of a three-story building. It is approximately 15 feet wide by 60 feet long. Firefighters are on scene and do not expect any difficulties containing the fire, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Fire Department said.

The surrounding area is not expected to be at risk, he added.

The Division of Public Safety is not dealing with the fire as it is not on Penn’s campus, and deferred comment to the Fire Department.





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