PENNSAUKEN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Fire tore through a 14-story apartment building in Pennsauken, Camden County, early Monday morning. One woman jumped out of a fifth-floor window to escape the flames.
The fire started around 2 a.m. on the fifth floor of Cooper River Plaza on McClellan Avenue, forcing hundreds of residents out into the cold.
Firefighters got the blaze under control in about 20 minutes. Many residents were allowed back in a few hours later, but about 40 are displaced and won’t be able to return home.
The woman who jumped from the building was taken to the hospital. Her condition is unknown.
The American Red Cross is on scene helping people who were displaced.
Some residents, like Ira Altman, said they don’t always evacuate when they hear the smoke detector go off in the building, as it is oftentimes a false alarm.
“A lot of times I usually wait it out, but I could smell the fumes, and so whatever was burning was definitely filtering up to the 10th floor,” he said.
Pennsauken Fire Chief Jonathan Hutton said this incident shows why you should always evacuate.
“They should be treating every alarm activation as if there is a fire,” he stressed. “If the alarm is doing its job, there should be a fire.”
About 40 residents have been displaced
About 40 residents have been displaced
