Philadelphia family homeless after home demolished by city

PHILADELPHIA, PA—A Francesville family is without a home after their residence was accidentally demolished. The incident occurred while a nearby demolition crew was preparing to build a new apartment building.

Tyrone Maxx, returning home from treatments for stage four colon cancer, received a devastating call informing him that his childhood home was now rubble. Despite the house being a fixture in Maxx’s family for over 70 years, building inspectors have deemed the damage too severe, requiring the home to be torn down entirely.

Fox 29 reported the incident.

The home, located on the 700 block of North 16th Street, had significant structural impacts from the demolition work next door. Maxx recalls hearing the unsettling sounds of the demolition, “I could hear them banging on my side wall… they really messed up.”

Adding to the family’s plight, Maxx’s son is battling leukemia, and his 11-year-old daughter has undergone three open-heart surgeries. The family, now residing in a hotel, faces uncertainty about their future living arrangements.

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In the aftermath, the Maxx family discovered their cat alive in the debris, a small solace amid their overwhelming challenges. They have since hired an attorney to pursue claims against the developer, The Regis Group, after learning the property had failed an inspection on March 24th.

Since the incident, local authorities have issued five additional LNAI violations to the demolition project. The Regis Group has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the situation.

As the family grapples with their losses and ongoing health battles, the community has rallied around them, seeking justice and a safe future for the Maxx family.

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