three alarm blaze in southwest philadelphia, that's where we find "eyewitness news" reporter steve patterson, steve, what's the latest? >> reporter: good morning, nicole, this is very chaotic scene, still very early in this investigation following a fire that appears to have charred at least six row homes and damaged many, many more. looks like almost an entire city block of row homes has been destroyed. if you pan back, and look back, what we can tell you at this point that two children have been taken in to dreamt for smoke inhalation. so firefighters remain on scene here, red cross on scene here, as well. i spoke to several members of the red cross, who says, at least 40 people, 40 people, affected by this fire, and that they're starting to look at setting up a temporary shelter in the area. but you can just look back there and see the destruction, firefighters working on hot spots at this point. this is the 6500 block of guess nerve, on the street we saw people just kind of lined up on the roadway, many of them in tears. i spoke to a few of those folks, just kind of very upset about the

steve patterson is in voorhees, new jersey, to show you the damage there, steve? >> reporter: ukee, erika, good morning to you. this is a typical site. it is not a boogie board. this is actually part of the siding of somebody's house. welcome to voorhees, new jersey, another typical site behind me, massive tree down in somebody's yard that pushed somebody's house about 6 inches back, ripped the siding off of the house, then you see the end result. we've seen trees and just about every yard here, the power remains out in this area, and it gets whole lot worse. check out the video. we brought along to arcing and sparking from downed power lines, streets still closed off at this point, because of work that has to be done in that regard. meanwhile, the national weather service is expected to be back out here this afternoon, they want to determine if these were straight line winds or if this was a possible tornado. but just speaking to neighbors and the sounds they describe from last night's storm it, could be anything at this point. we spoke to one neighbor, who had a

"eyewitness news" reporter steve patterson joins us now, in skippack township with the latest on, that steve, good morning. >> good morning, erika, ukee, the origin still mystery, but the results are everywhere this morning. an entire neighborhood ghosttown, more than 100 homes evacuated nan place of families this morning, these green notices, telling residents to simply stay away. earlier the fire department, the county, the epa action hard adder us response teams all counts out to the fair lounge court development near skippack township, reports of strong odor shortly before 6:00 last night. now, most people voluntarily left their homes, the odor actually traced to the sub pumps of several basements, in this area. at the moment, it is being called a volatile organic compound. no reported illnesses at this time. although, testing obviously in removal a big priority, so that work is being done at the moment. we spoke to meanwhile an area state representative concerned about residents and volunteers in this area,. >> epa, number one goal, find out what though volatile compounds is. they

. >> in case officials have evacuated in a hundred homes in skippack township, steve patterson is right now to tell you more, steve? >> ukee, erika, earlier there were dozens every crews here, they have all evacuated and left at this point. because they're testing to find out what that mystery substance is. nobody knows at this point, so that works is being done, meanwhile, see behind me, all of the townhomes, nobody is in them. more than 100 evacuated due to the substance now being called dangerous. earlier the fire department was here, the county was here, epa was here, hazardous response teams, all report to go this development, these township homes here, in skippack, after a strong odor was reported shortly before 6:00 last night. most people simply up and left. they've smelled the smell, talked to crews left layer homes, most have heeded the warnings and left. owners traced to a sump pump origin in the basement of most of these homes. at the moment it is being called volatile organic compound. that's as far as we've gotten on description. no reported illnesses, nobody sick, nobody

the latest from voorhees, new jersey, steve patterson, cbs-3, "eyewitness news". >> just a wild night, steve, thank you. firefighters battled a fire in northeast philadelphia. believe that lightning sparked a blaze on the 400 block of chandler street. that flared up just as round of stormy weather tore through the area last night, fortunately, no one was hurt. but not what you want to hear after going through the storms, we have more coming our way today, right? >> yes, this will be a two for two for us out there. really looks like the timing will be early similar as yesterday. so i guess at least the bright side of it, the upside, you know what happened yesterday. you know when it happened yesterday. so you can sort of plan around it. but dow want to take you outside and show you what happened here yesterday. we start it off, a look at storm scan3, going all the way back here to 12:35 yesterday. okay? so go back in time, you might have been out on lunch break, skies were clearing up little bit. we had some sun, but man it was muggy. that was all the moisture we needed. and heating of

reporting live in southwest philadelphia, i'm steve patterson, cbs-3, "eyewitness news". >>> tough, tough story. thank you, steve. >>> it is 6:33 right now. we do want to get a check on our forecast, carol standing by with the eyewitness weather forecast, carol, how is it looking? >> a lot better weather today as we've seen over the last couple of days, i think we'll keep nice dry comfortable sunny weekend going for the. we take a look, see what we've got going on. blue skies under center city philadelphia. day starts on very bright note. and it is bright at the shore, and it is bright every place that you go. storm scan3, showing, no problems in the area. you notice up by maine, that's what's left of arthur. so big storm, but it is out of here. remember, the moderate risk of rip current along the shore areas, today, and high surf advisory until noon courtesy of the departed arthur. we are looking at 64 degrees in philadelphia, right now, 61 in trenton, 62 in wilmington. this is very comfortable morning. we have breeze out there, so these temperatures feel even cooler than that. and it is

"eyewitness news" reporter steve patterson is live at a nearby church where donations for these victimsre just pouring in right now. steve. >> reporter: well, natasha, still so much agony in this neighborhood, unimaginable, some families arriving here today looking up at those charred row homes and having memories about the fire that killed those four young children. despite that, an outpouring of support at the community church behind me. it may not alleviate the pain that is still here but any little bit of hope is going a long way. >> i said -- a my day the same pain. >> very, very bad. >> reporter: solomon johnson lived next door to twin girls so close they called him uncle >> uncle sol, this is your house. what are you doing today. >> reporter: he said those, the very last words to him from four year old twins maria and marialla bowah. flames that nearly destroyed the block killing the twins along with brothers patrick sanyeah and taj jacque. >> the fire was blazing. so i say everybody let's go, let's go. >> reporter: sunday a new day, same pain but hope just around the corner. >>

"eyewitness news" reporter steve patterson is live at the crash scene, where the memorial is growing. steve? >> well, chris, i want to talk more about crawford. because as walt just mentioned, crawford was released from prison short time ago with the hope he would turn over a new leave, change the direction of his life, and stop causing pain for the people around him. but, police say, that did not happen. instead, leaving a wake of devestation, wounding the entire city, and not least of which the people that new him, and fought for him, so much, listen to this. >> it is a heart breaking ends for people who were trying to give 22 year old corneilius crawford a new beginning. >> church leaders across the crown any center say it was only few months ago crawford, just released from prison, walked in looking for help. >> i didn't judge him, haven't judged his past, you know, the way he presented himself to me, i just tried to help him. he wanted to do better. >> youth counselor james molder said he helped crawford find the basics, now a sense of betrayal. >> we thought we did enough for hi

steve patterson joins us at voorhees, new jersey to show you more of all of the damage, steve? >> ukee, if you want good look at what voorhees new jersey looks like this morning, just take a look behind me. look at this tree destroying part of the side of this home, and then ripping some of the siding off of the home. then you can see, all of the branches down in the yard, the lawn mower, check this out, over here, look at this, lawn mower is on its side, completely ripped up by this uprooted treement just one of the many examples what we're seeing in every yard in this neighborhood. but gets whole lot worse. take a look at the video we brought along, as well. power lines are down and roads all around this area, the power remains out for a lot of customers this area, as well. you see the arcing and sparking of the downed power lines, that's why the roads remain shutdown, crews have to continue during work this morning, heavy, heavy winds, strong rains came through the area, and really tore things up here. we're still seeing the siding torn off some of the roofs. we also mention

"eyewitness news" reporter steve patterson joins us now in the cbs-3 sat center more on that, me? >> erika, already impacting international travel. keep in mind, before yesterday, this was a very common flight round. now, it is being avoided, so that's already a translation in lots of dollars, even bigger impact is expected to be on international pollutants. >> so grow test, almost not believable. >> confirmed, a boeing 777 passenger plane caring 298 people shot down by a surface to air missile. no one survived. >> the shoot-down a non-combat and the unbelievable. >> arthur wolk says the plane traveling from amster dan to qual a lumpur was on well traveled international route used frequently even during the recent conflict between ukraine and pro russian separatists. woke says warnings flying over the war zone, but to this point, they've been ignored. >> to me, it makes no sense, deliberately fly over war zone. >> the focus now is on who fired. >> you have got three suspect, the ukrainians, these rebble supported by the russians, russians themselves. >> ed says all sides are denou

steve patterson joins us in the cbs-3 sat center with that part of the story, good morning. >>> it is so grow test being in terms of behavior that it is almost not believable. >> the unbelievable confirmed. mh17, a boeing 777 passenger plane, caring 298 people, shot down by a surface to air missile. no one survived. >> the shoot down a non-combat and the unforgivable. i mean, beyond comprehension. >> aviation expert arthur wolf said the plane traveling was on well traveled international route. used frequently even during the recent conflict between ukraine and pro russian separatists. says there have been warnings about flying over the war zone, but to this point, they've been ignored. to me it makes no sense to deliberately fly over a war zone. >> the focus now is on who fired. >> we've got three suspect, the ukrainians, these rebels supported by the russians, the russians themselves. >> counter terrorism expert says all sides are denouncing the act and denying responsibility. but new this morning, us officials saying they believe the ukrainians didn't have the capability to perform

in bryn mawr, steve patterson, cbs3 "eyewitness news." >> also this evening new developments and newonfusion at the scene of downed malaysia airlines flight 17. rebels who control that area in yearn ukraine say they have the so-called block boxes that investigators want though it remains very unclear when or if international teams will have full access to the site. cbs correspondent craig boswell has more. >> reporter: outrage gross as refrigerated train cars carry victims' bodies away from the malaysia airlines crash site. parents of the child victims are pleading for the return of the remains. >> send them home. >> please. >> please. >> reporter: a ukrainian spokesperson says armed rebels forced workers to hand over almost 200 bodies now bounds for rebel held city. the separatists controlling the area have also recovered the black boxes. [speaking foreign language] >> reporter: secretary of state john kerry says evidence is mounting that russian backed separatists shot down flight 17 and moscow needs to clear the way for international investigators. >> because of russia's linkage t

"eyewitness news" reporter steve patterson joins just skippack township with the latest on that situation. good morning. >> good morning, erika, ukee, just standing outside you can't smell a thing, but, several neighbors report serious odor inside their homes, we're live in the neighborhood now, now most of the homes, in fact, all of the homes look like. >> this dark, with a green notice on the door that says you know what you better stay away, and most have heeded those warnings this morning. earlier, though, the fire department, the county, epa, hats hazardous response teams all called out to the neighborhood in skippack township, the call came in originally shortly before 6:00 last night, strong odor reported, went house to house, and they found several readings, most people again voluntarily left their homes, the odors traced to the basement of these homes, sump pumps where they were then taken for readings. at the moment, it is being called volatile organic compound. samples were taken, they're being tested as we speak. no reported illnesses, nobody taken or removed from their homes

you know, we don't understand why. >> reporter: steve patterson, cbs-3 "eyewitness news". >> the mane center of the medical center shooting has been formally charged now with the murder of his social worker theresa hunt also the attempted murder of his psychiatrist dr. lee silver ma man seen on street kerr shorely after the shooting. 49 your old are you char plots was arraigned while still in his hospital bed. dr. silverman suffered a graze wound meantime but returned fire with this own gun striking plots inside the mrs. see fitzgerald wellness center in darby. >> quick actions by police also some neighbors helped to save 33 people from a burning home in north philly. a fire broke out about 2:00 o'clock this morning on the 900 block of west hunning ton street. officers were able to help get an elderly man and a young woman out of the front door but the man's wife was on the second floor. neighbors convinced the woman to jump out of the weren't dough and they managed to break her fall. >> really felt bad to see her stuck like that between life and death not knowing whether to try to r

"eyewitness news" reporter steve patterson has the latest from southwest philadelphia. >> reporter: a new day the same pain. >> very very bad. >> reporter: solomon johnson lived neck door to twin girls so close they called him uncle. >> uncle sal, this is your house. what are you doing to do. >> reporter: he says those the very last words to him from four year old twins maria and march ella bowa before this frightening flames that nearly destroyed 6500 block of gesner saturday morning. killing the twins along with brothers patrick and six week old taj. johnson remembers the harrowing escape with his brother moments before he says he lost everything. >> the fire was blazing. i said let's go, let's go! >> reporter: sunday, a new da day. same pain but hope just around the corner. >> everyone is responding with love. so it is a blessing. >> reporter: christ international baptist church sits right outside the devastation. pastor in a foal yann divine opened his doors to owe donations of clothes and canned food. the response unlike anything he expect. >> never in my wildest imagination we w

. >> all right, walt thank youment team coverage of the deadly carjacking continues now, with steve patterson he's live in north philadelphia, at the scene that far deadly crash. steve? >> suspects no strange tears this community, in fact, both suspects from neighborhoods just blocks away from the scene, the scene by the way, you have to see it. memorial has been growing by the minute all day long, the community coming out in droves, to show their support this afternoon meanwhile, in the neighborhoods, shock and awe, we spoke to one of the pastors, that new both men. >> before it all went wrong story of a place just trying to set things right. we try to minister to people, to keep them on the straight and narrow. >> they call it the crossroads we meet people at the crossroads of their lives try to point them in the positive direction. >> everyone in this north philly neighborhood knows it, for 50 years hundreds of kids have grown up in this youth ministry given stipends for volunteer work, to stay off the street. >> we had him here basically for all his life. >> eighteen years, one shy of thi

"eyewitness news" reporter steve patterson has that story >> i said sure. >> new day, the same pain. >> very, very bad. >> johnson lived next-door to twin girls, so close, they called him uncle. >> so sad. what are you doing today? >> says those, the very last words to him from four year old twins, maria and marryella boa before this, flames that nearly destroyed the 6500 block saturday morning, killing the twins, along with brothers, patrick sonyia, six week old todge. he remembers the harrowing escape with his brother moments before he said he lost everything. >> the fire was blazing. let go, let go! >> sunday, a new day, same pain, but hope just around the corner. >> everyone is responding in love. but it is a blessing. >> christ international baptist church sits right outside the devestation. pastor napoleon devine opened his doors to donation, clothes, canned food, he says, the response unlike anything he expected. >> never in my wildest imagination that would have had this much people coming all night pretty much. couldn't even have church this morning. >> dough vine says the d

for now, live in montgomery county, steve patterson, cbs-3, "eyewitness news". >>> thank you, steve. we will check back with you. new this morning, 54 year old woman is in police custody, accused of shooting a man and another woman in south philly overnight. this happened around 3:00 a.m. on the 1800 block of tasker. forty-three year old woman, 25 year old man, are being treated at the hospital. they have expected to be okay. police blame an earlier argument for the gunfire. >>> also, following a bunch of developing stories right now, more than a thousand employees of atlantic city trump plaza could get notice today the casino is closing, casino owners say they expect that closing by mid september. >>> also work underway on the italian coast to move the massive shipwreck costa concordia. that ship renee grounds in 2012, 32 people were killed. that ship is being scrapped. >>> and, sergeant bowe bergdahl is expected to arrive and return to active duty in the army today. bergdahl was released by the taliban six weeks ago after five years in captivity. >>> coming up on 6:03, our traffic

"eyewitness news" reporter steve patterson is there live now with more. steve? in the middle of the rally as we speak, rally started, there is a large community presence here, as well as large police presence, that rally appears to be in a print session right now, and in a few moments, i am told the aunt of those three children is expected to speak and say a few words about the children and about this tragedy. in the meantime, want to take you to another, learning more about what the suspects involved in that fatal accident, we learn more today, and we want to share that with you now. >> three children are dead, their mother clinging to life, a community torn apart. many are now asking how one of the men accused of murder could even be in a position to cause such pain. >> assuming everything that he said he did is true, needs to be in prison. >> career criminal, corneilius crawford, was free, and he has been since february. court documents show in 2007

live in the sat center, steve patterson, cbs-3, "eyewitness e. >>> steve, thanks so much.lso hearing from some travelers who say they cheated death. izzy was supposed to be on the doomed plane with her husband, and young baby. but they had to re book because the flight was full. >> i'm just thinking that i feel like i've been given a second chance. and so hopefully that ... >> we'll continue to follow the latest developments in the plane crash, get updates on line, at cbsphilly.com any time. also, on facebook and twitter, just search cbs philly. >> time for your traffic and weather together. here's kate. >> i yes, good morning, ukee, very happy friday, out to you guys, i mean, once again, looking at just beautiful weather out there. if you liked yesterday, you'll love today. we can expect more of the same even as we go into tonight. but by the weekend, more clouds, start to filter, filter in here, which we will talk b we start off with good news. quick check on storm scan3, might be little deceiving. we do have high pressure in place, what's all of the green starting to sh

steve patterson is live with the very latest on this case. steve?> reporter: natasha happening right now behind me a memorial and vigil for the family. take look here. you see family and friends have gathered they've just lit candles and you can see the memorial in the center of a prayer sir can he just witnessed them giving their -- giving their condolences to the family much the family again is suffering after police say the father shot his own son in the head and then shot the mother of that son. we spoke to community members who are now, of course, are asking why? >> why? why? what happened? >> it is a haunting question. family, friends asking how the man that gave live to five year old tion styles could easily take it away. >> to turn around and do this to his son, i couldn't understand that. >> reporter: police say 26 year old tyrell styles shot and kit klee injured his mother, 26 year old washington. before turning the gun on his own son. then after a police chase, he shot himself. >> it just hurts. the hurts a lot. >> police got the call aft

reporting live from tioga, steve patterson, cbs-3, "eyewitness news". >> thank you, we go back there as soon as she does begin talking. we invite you meantime to stay with "eyewitness news" for continuing coverage of the aftermath of this deadly carjacking. we'll have the latest for you any time on cbsphilly.com. >>> traffic is still tied up on route 413 following a crash involving a truck and a mini-van. chopper three over the scene near i-95 in bristol bucks county. firefighters pulled a father, mother, and their son from that mini-van. the boy thanked them forgetting him out of there. lungly the family only suffered minor injuries. the cause of that crash is still under investigation. >>> we now know what caused the paulsboro train derailment that caused a toxic chemical spill. you may remember this scene, from november of 2012. now, final report on the accident came out today, and "eyewitness news" reporter walt hunter has the details. >> when four cars of this conrail freight crashed off a bridge, one breaking open and spewing 20,000 gallons of vinyl chloride, and its vapor, the

"eyewitness news" reporter steve patterson joins us now in the cbs-3 sat center more on that, me?

it is the latest from voorhees, new jersey, steve patterson, cbs-3, "eyewitness news". >>> that's for sure, steve, thank you so much. >>> and lightning also blamed on this house fire in the fox chase section of northeast philadelphia. it happened late last night on the 400 block of chandler street. you can see the fire damaged the roof that far home. it took fire fighters 45 minutes, we're told, to get it all under control. luckily, no one was injured. >>> "eyewitness news" cameras captured a light show in the sky as wild weather moved through delaware county last night. it came dangerously close to a 14 year old boy and in ashland avenue in glenolden. we're told that teen was getting into a car when lightning struck his finger. he was returned to crozer-chester medical center where at last check that teen was list in the good condition. >>> by the the way, the latest pour at and numbers, peco reports about 2400 customers without service in the philadelphia five county region. the majority are in bucks county with about 1500 homes and businesses in the dark. across the river, over in

steve patterson with our affiliate kyw tv has the details from southwest philly. what is the scene?ilies just kind of coming down this way. we saw them crying in agony and we couldn't figure out why. we had an interview with the fire commissioner who told us what had happened and as we got word from officials that four children had died in the screaming increased. we can still hear it in the alley way behind me, but you see the devastation. eight row homes damaged. at least five completely destroyed. firefighters still holding the scene working on hot spots. we've seen some flare ups this morning as they continue to do their work. but the video from earlier as we got word of a tragedy, four children killed in this massive fire that broke out sometime before 2:45 this morning. this is the 6500 block of gestner. fire officials, we're not sure what address or how or what led to the fire, but once it started, it just started rip pig through each one of these row homes and spreading to each one until again, it got to about eight homes and then we heard about the deaths. four children we'