PHILADELPHIA — City officials say a vacant warehouse had been cited for fire code violations several times and court action was in the offing when the building was hit by a massive blaze that led to the deaths of two firefighters in a collapse at an adjacent furniture store where the flames had spread.

A city official said authorities would be looking into whether a criminal negligence case was warranted in the fire early Monday that led to the deaths of Lt. Robert Neary, 60, and firefighter Daniel Sweeney, 25, as well as injuries to two other firefighters. One remained hospitalized in guarded condition Monday night.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of these two firefighters,” Mayor Michael Nutter said. “It just hurts a great, great deal.”

The blaze in the city’s Kensington section started around 3:15 a.m. Monday and quickly spread. Dozens of nearby homes were evacuated and the firefighters were trying to make sure that the blaze was out at the furniture store when a wall and roof collapsed, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said.

“They were actually going back in to check and ensure that the fire was out,” the commissioner said, adding that crews got to them as quickly as they could but that the rescue effort was arduous.

Both firefighters were respected members of the department and had been commended for a long list of rescues over the years, Ayers said.

Neary, a 37-year veteran of the department, served in the Army reserves from 1972 to 1982 and worked as a city police officer before joining the fire department. He is survived by his wife, two grown sons and a grown daughter.

Sweeney, who was single, is survived by his parents. His father is recently retired fire Capt. David Sweeney.