It took crews over two hours to battle a three-alarm fire in South Jersey Tuesday night.
Firefighters responded to the fire around 6:40 p.m. on 220 W. Branch Avenue in Pine Hill, Camden County. According to Camden County officials, the building was part of the Pine Hill Mansions apartment complex. Officials believe the fire started on a second-floor balcony a little after 6 p.m.
Black smoke was visible as the red flames came from the roof of the building.
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About 16 units were destroyed as a result of the fire, according to the town's police chief.
Five police officers who rescued residents from inside of the building were taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, the police chief said. One firefighter was also taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
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"The officers that were transported for smoke inhalation were going door to door making sure people were out. It was very heavy smoke, even two hours later it was heavy smoke," Chief Christopher Winters with the Pine Hill Police Department said.
Police say all the residents made it out safe and are now in the care of the Red Cross. Nearly 30 people have been displaced due to the fire.
"This is obviously devastating. It’s devastating to the families. When you put that in perspective to the time of year it is it hits home a lot harder," Winters said.
On Wednesday, some residents were allowed back into their homes for a short time to gather their belongings. One resident recounted what the fire was like for her.
“I came back in the room to get something else, it’s a whole blaze right there in my bedroom window," Taneka Batchelor, a resident of the apartment, said.
Batchelor was not allowed back into her unit due to the stairs on the second level not being stable.
“I was in shock because I always seen it on TV, it was never in person and in real life. So, it was real scary to me," Batchelor said. "I’m trying to get shelter for me, my son, my mom and my sister as well. So, we’re all together. So, for me it’s kind of hard right now to say. With the help of God, we definitely going make it.”
The management for the building SHP is providing both short and long-term housing for residents, putting them up in a hotel. They will also give them gift cards for daily necessities like food, clothing and water.
Some residents have made claims that the sprinklers were not working. The management company said it is answering those claims but that the state of New Jersey does not require apartments to have sprinklers.
The build did have smoke alarms and those were working at the time of the fire.
The fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
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