VIDEO: A brush fire quickly evolved into a 3-alarm blaze in Philadelphia on Monday, prompting dozens of emergency crews to respond.
The flames started just after noon on the 200 block of Port Royal Avenue in Roxborough.
Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner Derek Bowmer said by 12:15 p.m., crews received multiple calls for smoke in the area.
Authorities say the blaze began as a brush fire, but by 2:45 p.m. it had spread significantly.
It was placed under control around 5 p.m., according to officials.
Action News was told roughly 120 firefighters were on the scene, fighting the flames for nearly five hours.
Firefighters said strong winds made conditions difficult to battle the blaze.
"We immediately went all hands on deck. As you know, today is 40 mph gusts, winds, no rain. We were already behind this fire," said Bowmer.