90 displaced after 4-alarm fire rips through Oxford, Pa. apartments
OXFORD, Pa. (CBS) -- The borough of Oxford is working to rebuild after a devastating fire.
Ninety people are displaced after a four-alarm fire ripped through an apartment building and neighboring buildings Wednesday night. Smoke was still rising from the damaged buildings more than 12 hours later Thursday afternoon.
The fire started just after 11:30 p.m. at the apartment complex, at Third and Locust Streets. All 49 apartments in the complex have been impacted.
Officials are telling people in the area to conserve water. Oxford police said to avoid South 3rd Street between Market and Hodgson Streets.
Flames spread to multiple buildings, including businesses and a warehouse. A structural collapse also occurred.
Some were awakened by flames like 15-year-old Aniah McClain whose family's home is now ruined.
"I woke up to my air conditioner lit on fire and it was full of flames," McClain said. "It was a lot. I'm really grateful me and my family made it out, that we all could get out on time and none of us got caught in the fire."
In total, 17 businesses were damaged, including 13 residential buildings.
"We're working with our local businesses and obviously we feel for them as well," Mayor Philip Harris said. "They're the backbone of our community."
No major injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
"It's heartbreaking, traumatizing," Harris said. "It's a real gut punch with this community, we're rebuilding, we're really coming out of the pandemic, getting our footing again. This community is just, it's been tested like many."
"To see some of our most vulnerable folks losing their homes is a real challenge," Harris added.
Union Fire Company No. 1 Chief Jim Booth said one firefighter suffered minor burns.
Several nearby fire companies were called out to help, including some from out of state and from Lancaster County.
"Our units arrived on scene within five minutes at a well-advanced fire that quickly escalated to four alarms," Booth said.
Despite the devastation, there is hope for the future.
"This'll slow us down for a little bit, but it's not going to stop us," Kathryn Cloyd, Oxford council president, said.
A man who witnessed the fire said it was like watching a campfire.
"It was bad, I feel like it just spread from one building to the other building," the man said. "Like looking at a campfire, looking at pallets just burning up...put your hand in there, you're probably not getting your hand back."
A disaster declaration is in place for Oxford Borough.
The Red Cross has set up a shelter at Penn's Grove Middle School in Oxford. Classes at all schools in the Oxford Area School District are canceled Thursday, according to the district's website.
The Red Cross said nearly 40 people have checked in so far and they're offering food, a place to sleep and other services. They also said the shelter will remain open overnight.
"Starting tomorrow [Friday] morning, the Chester County Office of Emergency Management and Oxford Neighborhood Services Center will begin transitioning displaced residents from the shelter to hotel rooms for up to 30 days, during which time they will work with families to find permanent housing solutions. The Red Cross will continue to provide casework and emergency assistance, including emotional support, health services and financial assistance, to help these families recover."
"We had some people from the community helping us with translation for our Spanish-speaking individuals who were impacted," Alana Mauger of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Red Cross said.
The Oxford Chamber of Commerce is working on accepting donations that will go toward affected families.