The Norristown rowhouse that caught fire last weekend, killing two adults and two children, contained illegally rented apartment units, municipal officials say.
The house on DeKalb Street was registered as owner-occupied, said Michael Simonson, manager of building and code enforcement.
Simonson said this week that he planned to issue several code violations against the home’s owners. Each violation has a maximum fine of $1,000. The building also did not have fire escapes.
Young and Hyun Kim of North Wales purchased the 6,600-square foot building for $130,000 in 2006, according to property records. They could not be reached for comment.
The fire’s youngest victim was a 6-year-old girl, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. The girl’s 11-year-old sister died a few days after the fire at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Fire Chief Tom O’Donnell said Friday. Officials did not release the children’s names.
The girls’ family members and friends are collecting money through a GoFundMe account to send their bodies to Mexico for burial.
Two adults also died in the fire. They were not related to the girls, O’Donnell said.
The Coroner’s Office identified the adult victims as Elpidio Fuentes, 74, and Donnie Ray Williams, 54. Their causes of death are pending while the investigation continues.
Several other people were displaced or injured, according to the American Red Cross.
The blaze began early last Saturday, evidently on an enclosed porch at a side of the building, according to District Attorney Kevin R. Steele. He said a preliminary investigation determined that its cause was not suspicious.
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