Fire in Atlantic City displaces dozens of people, including international students

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- At least five civilians and four firefighters were hospitalized and over 70 people are displaced after a fire broke out at a four-story rooming house in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Thursday morning, officials said.

Chopper 3 caught flames coming from the roof and at least one upper floor of a four-story building listed as the Hotel Cassino.

The fire started in a four-story building on Georgia Avenue off of Pacific Avenue before spreading to two neighboring buildings. A fourth building suffered smoke and water damage as a large contingent of fire personnel battled the flames, the heat and stagnant air for at least four hours.

The city said this was a five-alarm fire reported just before 8 a.m.

A fire alarm went off and alerted residents to get out of the building where the fire started, Atlantic City Fire Chief Scott Evans said. But when firefighters arrived, they found multiple people injured out on the street, and others hanging out of windows on the upper floors. Firefighters immediately brought out ladders to bring those people to safety, he added.

At least five residents were taken to hospitals — two were taken to Crozer Hospital in Chester, Pennsylvania, with serious injuries including burns and one who jumped out of a four-story window. Three were taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Evans said.

Two of the firefighters injured had heat exhaustion, and a third injured an ankle.

Evans said 76 people have been displaced by the fire, including 44 international students on J-1 visas.

"These are a lot of the students that come here that do the J-1 program internationally, work at Steel Pier and the Boardwalk," Evans added.

With the number of people displaced and the fact that it's a busy resort town ahead of a summer weekend, it's likely the people displaced will be given rooms off the island, Evans acknowledged. 

By the early afternoon, the fire was under control. It was a challenging effort due to stagnant air with little wind to blow the smoke away - and the layout of the buildings, Evans said.

"These buildings are rooming houses, so they're challenging...they're very compartmentalized, narrow hallways, these are all big old houses converted...the rooms are very small, the fire could be in multiple rooms," he added.

The Atlantic City Police Department was called out to help evacuate the building and close the road to traffic.

Halit Tehndl said he was struggling to breathe as he rushed to get outside during the fire.  

"We wake up with the smoke in the house," he said. "We were coughing because of the smoke."

The city said people impacted should reach out to Volunteers of America at 609-541-2806. Members of the New Jersey Red Cross are set up in the Boardwalk Hall Parking Garage to help people in need.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Editor's Note: The Red Cross initially said Stockton University students were among the people displaced in the fire. A university spokesperson clarified that none of the students attended Stockton. We apologize for this error.

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• Atlantic City
• New Jersey