A Feb. 14 fire at the home of longtime Chestnut Hill resident Mary "Molly" Mullee killed her grandson, 48-year-old Mark Mullee IV, and left neighbors wondering about the fate of the partially demolished historic property at 42 W. Southampton St.

According to neighbors, Mark Mullee had been living in the building. Molly Mullee, who is 96 and living in a nursing home, has not lived in the property for many years. Because taxes had not been paid since 2019, it was scheduled for sheriff's sale on March 21.

Members of Mark’s family sent the Local part of his obituary reading “Mark Patrick Mullee IV, a Chestnut Hill local, born May 29, 1976, passed away on February 14, 2025. He will be remembered for his quick wit, kind nature, and remarkable ability to fix anything. Marks’ generosity and humor will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Taken from us too soon, Mark leaves behind a legacy of love and light that will forever echo on the Hill.”

The Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD) is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, which broke out shortly after midnight and destroyed a significant portion of the 1870s-era house.

Firefighters arrived on the scene at 12:30 a.m. and reported smoke rising from the house.

"Within about 15 minutes, firefighters reported battling heavy fire on the second and third floors. The fire was placed under control at 2 a.m. Overall, about 60 PFD members responded, including firefighters, medics, chiefs and support personnel," Kathryn Matheson, a spokesperson for the PFD, told the Local.

The next-door neighbor, Ben Brown, said he woke up shortly after midnight that night to a loud banging on his door. Getting out of bed, he smelled smoke and ran downstairs. Another neighbor had knocked on the door alerting him and others nearby to the fire.

"The flames started coming out the back window above the kitchen shed, it was a really intense fire," Brown told the Local.

Elizabeth Beck, another neighbor, said she saw flames shooting out the windows at one point, and firefighters on the roof trying to control the flames.

"The house was jointly owned by the grandmother and her grandson, and the grandmother and her family moved in in 1965 and they had six children," Brown said.

Brown said that Mark was the only person living in the house at the time of the fire.

According to the Chestnut Hill Conservancy, the house was built in 1874-1876 by then-owner William White. It is "recognized as a contributing resource in the Chestnut Hill National Register Historic District—meaning it is part of what gives the district its historical significance," the Conservancy said in a statement.

Financial troubles and power issues

According to city records, the house was $28,325.55 behind on property taxes. And according to Brown, Mark had been experiencing utility issues.

"He asked me if he could plug in a cord in the outdoor outlet at my house and I said that he could, because it was cold out," Brown said.

After moving out temporarily, Mark returned the Monday before the incident and told Brown that he was trying to block the upcoming sheriff's sale.

On the night of the fire, Brown spoke to the Fire lieutenant on the scene who told him that the house had power. The Local reached out to PECO and the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) to determine the source of power in the home but have not heard back. The fire department was unable to confirm if a power source caused the fire, as the incident is still under investigation.

Later on the day of the fire, L&I arrived on the scene to demolish part of the exterior front stone wall. 

"They basically took down a good third of the house. They took the whole roof off the house, and they took the stone walls down, up to the top of the second-floor windows," Brown said. "They said they did that to make the house safe enough so that they could go in and conduct an investigation and see if there was anybody in there."

The Chestnut Hill Conservancy has expressed interest in the property's future.

"As the situation evolves, the Conservancy would be pleased to offer any guidance and resources to the owner on rebuilding a residence that honors Chestnut Hill's history and character, including potential consultation with our Historic District Advisory Committee."

The Local reached out to the Sheriff's office to determine if the property will still be sold at the scheduled March 21 auction, but has not received a response.