New Year's Day in Philly usually means the Mummers Parade, too much scrapple, and a cold wind off the Delaware. But for a family in Somerton, 2026 started with a literal bang. Around 12:30 a.m., just as the fireworks were peaking across the city, a twin home on the 10000 block of Nandina Way went up. It wasn't just a small kitchen fire; a Ring camera nearby caught a massive explosion that shook the neighborhood. Honestly, it’s a miracle everyone got out. Firefighters pulled four people from the wreckage while the garage was still a blowtorch.
If you've lived here long enough, you know the sound of those sirens. They’re part of the city’s soundtrack. But the fire in Philadelphia PA landscape is shifting. We aren't just dealing with old wiring in 100-year-old rowhomes anymore. Now, it’s exploding lithium-ion batteries and "nuisance fires" in Kensington. It’s a lot to keep track of, and frankly, the risks aren't what they used to be back in the 90s.
The Somerton Explosion and the Water Problem
The Nandina Way fire on January 1, 2026, highlighted a scary reality for the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD). When crews arrived, the fire had already swallowed the first and second floors. It eventually hit all three stories. But here’s the kicker: the PFD reported "water supply issues" during the initial attack. Imagine being a firefighter with a three-story inferno in front of you and the hydrant isn't giving you what you need. That’s a nightmare scenario.
They eventually got it under control by 1:35 a.m., but the house partially collapsed. It’s likely going to be a total teardown. Neighbors thought they heard fireworks right before it started, but the Fire Marshal is still digging through the charred remains to find the actual cause.
Why the Kensington Task Force is Back
If you head down to Kensington, the fire problem looks totally different. It’s not just house fires; it’s "rubbish fires." People living on the street light fires to stay warm, or trash piles catch a spark. In late 2025, the city brought back the Nuisance Fire Task Force.
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This isn't just a couple of guys with a hose. It’s a specialized unit including:
- A PFD Lieutenant and two crew members.
- A Sanitation Department compactor truck for debris removal.
- Social workers from Merakey to help find shelter for the unhoused.
- Police from the East Service Detail for security.
The goal? Cut these fires by 20% by March 2026. They operate from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. in the 24th and 25th Districts. It’s a wild way to run a fire department, but in Kensington, it’s the only way to keep the neighborhood from constantly being under a haze of smoke.
The Electric Bus Fiasco at Midvale
Remember the fire at SEPTA’s Midvale Depot in June 2025? That was a wake-up call for the "green" transition. Forty out-of-service buses were destroyed. For a while, everyone was whispering about arson. Nope. Investigators confirmed it started in a Proterra electric bus. It’s the second time one of these has ignited—the first was back in 2022 at the Southern Depot.
These lithium-ion fires are a different beast. You can’t just douse them and walk away. They can undergo "thermal runaway" and reignite hours later. It’s why the PFD is pushing for so much new training in the 2026 budget.
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A Massive Budget for a Strained Department
The Philadelphia Fire Department’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget is roughly $431 million. That sounds like a ton of cash, but it’s actually a slight decrease from last year. Most of that—about $392 million—goes straight to payroll.
Basically, the city is trying to do more with slightly less. They want to hire 200 new EMS providers and graduate 32 people from Technical Rescue School. Why? Because the PFD isn't just fighting fires anymore; they’re a massive medical service. If you call 911 for a fire in Philadelphia PA, there’s a good chance the first person you see is a paramedic.
They’re also building a new 96,000-square-foot training facility in Kensington called "Disaster University." Construction starts in the summer of 2026. It’s meant to simulate mass casualty events. Pretty grim, but necessary given the refinery explosion history and the dense nature of our rowhomes.
What Most People Get Wrong About Philly Rowhomes
You’ve probably heard people say that rowhomes are "fire traps." That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but they do have a unique flaw: the "cockloft." This is the common air space above the top-floor ceiling that runs across an entire block of homes. If a fire gets into that cockloft, it can travel five houses down before the first fire truck even arrives.
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We saw this in Nicetown in June 2025. An explosion on Bristol Street leveled three homes and killed one person. The Fire Marshal’s Office, the ATF, and Philadelphia Gas Works all had to step in. When one house goes, the whole block is at risk.
How to Actually Protect Your House
Look, the "call 311 for a free smoke alarm" thing is real. The PFD installs about 8,500 of them a year. If you don't have one, do it today. But there’s a few other things people miss:
- The 10-Year Battery: Don't buy the ones where you swap the 9V battery every year. Get the sealed lithium-ion ones. They last a decade.
- Close the Door: This is the easiest thing you’ll ever do. If you close your bedroom door at night, it can keep the temperature in your room under 100°F even if the hallway is 1000°F. It cuts off the oxygen.
- Space Heaters: "Space heaters need space." Keep them three feet away from everything. Not two feet. Three.
- The E-Bike Warning: If you have an e-bike or a cheap electric scooter, don't charge it near your front door. If it pops, that’s your only exit gone. Charge it in the middle of a room away from the exit.
Real Talk on Fire Safety
Philly is an old city with old problems and new technology. Between the 2025 refinery fire concerns and the constant threat to our rowhome blocks, the PFD is spread thin. They’re dealing with "nuisance fires" in Kensington and electric bus explosions in North Philly.
Honestly, the best thing you can do is check your own setup. Go to your basement. Is there a smoke alarm there? Most people forget the basement, but that’s where the furnace and the old wiring usually live. If a fire starts down there at 3 a.m., you won't know until the smoke is already in your bedroom.
Practical Next Steps:
- Call 311 and request a free smoke alarm installation if you’re missing any.
- Practice an "escape map" with your kids. They need to know two ways out of every room, even if one is a window.
- Check your surge protectors. If you’ve got a "daisy chain" (one plugged into another), unplug it. That’s a classic cause for the fire in Philadelphia PA headlines you see every week.
- If you're using a space heater this winter, plug it directly into the wall, never an extension cord.
Stay safe out there. The PFD is great, but they'd much rather meet you at a community event than on your front lawn at 2 a.m.