Man dead in fast-moving Strawberry Mansion home fire

One man died in a fire at a Strawberry Mansion home Friday, officials said.

Firefighters responded about 4:45 p.m. to a three-story rowhouse on the 3200 block of Ridge Avenue that was engulfed in flames. The fast-moving fire had already spread to another home, while rescuers received reports of people trapped inside, officials said.

After battling the blaze for 45 minutes, about 80 firefighters finally contained the flames. Two occupants escaped the home where the blaze started, but firefighters discovered a man dead at the top of a flight of stairs on the second floor, officials said.

On Saturday, fire department officials had yet to publicly identify the victim.

The fire marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire, a department spokesperson said. The medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of death.