A fire broke out on Sunday morning at Philadelphia International Records, where Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff perfected the Philadelphia sound of smooth R&B for singers like Teddy Pendergrass and Patti LaBelle, the Philadelphia Enquirer reported.
The fire swept through the labels office area, melting gold and platinum records and destroying much of its memorabilia, but it spared the historic studio and the labels tape library, according to the paper.
Firefighters responded to a call at 7:28 a.m. on Sunday and rescued a man from the building, at Broad and Spruce Streets. Chuck Gamble, a vice president of the company who is a nephew of the songwriter Kenny Gamble, said the office was closed and is usually secured like Fort Knox.
A spokesman for Fire Commissioner Lloyd M. Ayers said that fire marshals had ruled the fire incendiary, meaning that it had been deliberately set.
