annie mccormick joins us live from the crash scene with more on the driver's condition and how this played out this morning. >> reporter: that is right, according to family members, the driver remains at cooper hospital at this hour in critical condition and crews are cleaning up after this crash that happened hours ago including pseg who had to put up a new utility pole. this started the violent chain of destruction this morning. >> what drew my attention to it was the sound of him hitting the fourth car in line. >> after driving at a high rate of speed. the driver lost control and snapped a utility poll in half and hit parked cars and destroyed a portion of this park. >> it's exploding like all over. and just come back and it looks like this -- >> came this way to the pole and jumped all the way up on the porches and when he hit the porch he hopped over my mother's car. >> it ejected the driver. medics rushed him to nearby cooper medical hospital in critical condition. >> he was just trying to get home he had my mother's car and just trying to get home because she needed to be to work so

annie mccormick is live with the details. >> reporter: there are a dozen people inside of this building behind me, all of them got out safely, one firefighter did suffer minor injuries and one family suffered smoke inhalation but they were released from the hospital and they spoke to us and crediting their 7-year-old daughter for waking up just in time. >> it was smokey, and it's like dark and stuff. it was like we had to get out really fast. >> this image taken by an "action news" viewer showed the intense fire that woke 7-year-old serenity out of bed. >> my daughter woke up and said daddy and mommy there is smoke in the house. >> they broke a side window and got all three kids ages 7 to 2 on the fire escape. and medics took the family of five to crozier medical center and the blaze broke out at 12:30 this morning at the home converted in apartments. firefighters estimate there is at least a dozen occupants in the apartments. and the fire grew to two alarms and firefighters believe the cause is accidental and began in a second floor kitchen. >> i heard the apartment is on fire get out.

"action news" annie mccormick is live outside city hall where the memorial will tames later tonight. >> reporter: that's right, rick, the vigil is expected to takes place at 6:30 behind me on the north side of the city hall. city officials say they are in the early stages and harshing out the details and expect a wide range of speakers and talking to philadelphia police because they expect a large crowd. >> they need to come together in this moment of silence and find strength. this weekend's pre-planned philly pride parade and festival coincided with the devastating news and this sunday, they carried on with heavy heart and extra police security. >> yesterday thousand upon thousand also of people gathered for pride which is supposed to be celebrating livingunaapologe. >> reporter: outside flags are lowered to half staff including the american flag and the rainbow flag. several people we spoke to plan to take part in the vigil. >> i think it is important because it shows respect. they may not be from philadelphia or cover visiting on that particular day. at this point we have to supp