On this day, May 13, in 1985, Philadelphia police dropped a bomb on a house that was home to a radical cult, sparking a fire that killed 11 and burned down an entire neighborhood.
The extremist group, MOVE, moved onto quiet, tree-lined Osage Avenue. Then members assembled a large arsenal, built a giant bunker on the roof and used loudspeakers to scream profanities at all hours.
After a standoff, Mayor W. Wilson Goode ordered police to raid the building. A Philadelphia police helicopter dropped the bomb onto the house. The roof was covered with tar and gas, and a horrific fire broke out. Police and MOVE members exchanged gunfire and it took an hour before the fire department began extinguishing the blaze.
In the chaos, six adults and five children were killed and 61 homes were burned down.
Scott McCabe
