Penn Tower fire forces short evacuation

According to Fire and Occupational Safety Director James Miller, the fire caused "little or no" physical damage, but occured in a "critical area" of the hotel. The fire, which occurred at approximately 4:45 p.m., put the hotel and offices out of service until power was restored on Sunday night at 10 p.m. Jim Atkinson, Director of Security at the Penn Tower Hotel, said the fire was a result of electrical difficulties occurring at 49th and Woodland streets. Atkinson said the Philadelphia Electric Company informed hotel officials that because of difficulties in this area, the hotel would have to switch from its primary to its auxilary power system. But when the power transfer was made, Atkinson said there was "an electrical explosion." Atkinson said the hotel guests were transferred immediately to locations such as the University Museum and the Civic Center, so that the fire could be looked after. The medical practices housed on lower floors were simply moved to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Atkinson also added that a decision was made three hours after the incident to move the aproximately 150 guests to the University City Sheraton. Although PECO did not restore primary power to the hotel until Sunday night, the company brought in a large portable generator to power the hotel. As a result of the fire, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia had to switch to emergency power because it is hooked up to the same primary powerline that fed the fire, Miller said. Atkinson said there was a conference on blacks and higher education at the hotel that had to be postponed as a result of the fire. Miller said that the Penn Tower had "resumed business" on Monday.

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