The Veterans Village Bernard Spain Campus, 5127 Duffield St. in Frankford, is seeking the community’s help following a Dec. 28 arson fire.
The four-story property, which opened in 2023, consists of 47 living units, a community room and green space.
Residents are veterans and their families, including some children.
Dana Spain, president of the board of directors of the nonprofit Veterans Villages, said still photos and videos show two “neighborhood yahoos” successfully breaking into the facility at 2:20 p.m. on Dec. 28, a Saturday.
The women, as shown on video, went to the third floor and set a piece of cloth on fire in a trash can. While the fire was quickly put out by a sprinkler system and there were no injuries, Spain said, there was damage to 23 units and common areas.
“This was very unsettling for our residents and us as a charity,” Spain said. “This is a pretty tight-knit community. They’re brothers and sisters in uniform.”
Spain said the culprits are believed to have had a dispute with a resident. She thanked police officers and firefighters for their investigations and hopes those responsible are arrested and prosecuted.
Veterans Village is asking the public to help fund building repairs, along with supplies and services lost by residents. Monetary donations can be made at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/vbgivfou/.
Veterans Village is also looking for anyone who can provide construction materials or labor to help rebuild as quickly as possible. Call 877-254-1982, Ext. 1.
For more information, visit https://veteransvillages.org/veterans-village-philadelphia/ ••
