Fox Meadow fire leaves 12-year-old boy dead, 5 others injured
MAPLE SHADE, N.J. (CBS) -- The Maple Shade community is mourning after a 12-year-old boy was killed Sunday night when a massive fire ripped through a New Jersey apartment complex.
Five others were also injured in the blaze, according to officials.
The fire broke out just before 10:30 p.m. at the Fox Meadow apartment complex off Route 73 Sunday, officials said.
Maple Shade police said the boy's mom and 7-year-old sister were critically injured. Three others were also injured in the fire and are stable, police added.
One resident described seeing a wall of tall flames coming from one of the units before the blaze spread to more units nearby, putting more and more people in danger.
When police arrived at the scene, they found heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof of the apartments, officials said.
Officers immediately began evacuating residents of Adams Drive, while firefighters from Maple Shade and several other local fire departments started dousing the fire with water.
As he watched flames tower over the block of apartments, former volunteer firefighter Joe Stackhouse knew he had to take action.
"I ran down [and] just to start helping neighbors, banging on doors, trying to help people get out of their homes and just saw 30-foot flames coming off the roof of the building," Stackhouse recalled.
Another resident said the flames spread so fast that it caught her neighbors by surprise.
"It started with two apartments and then it moved to like eight or 10 now," Juliette Griffiths said. "We're just sad for the families that are living in those apartments and the people that had to get carried out and hope that they're safe."
Given the way the complex was designed, there are rows of apartments that are all connected, causing the flames to easily spread.
The firefight lasted about an hour before fire crews were able to get it under control around 11:45 p.m. Sunday.
However, by that point, the damage was done. Police said 16 apartment units had been damaged, displacing at least 62 people, including 22 families.
#UPDATE @RedCross says at least 62 people (22 families) were displaced by last night’s fire in Maple Shade. So far, they’ve spoken with 40/62 people (12/22 families). They’re waiting to hear from the rest so they can help provide housing and financial support @CBSPhiladelphia
— Ross DiMattei CBS Philadelphia (@RossDiMattei) May 8, 2023
The American Red Cross has been at the scene and is helping the residents who were displaced by the fire.
Among the neighbors forced to evacuate were Arlene Johnson and her daughter Amaree Coleman.
"Being displaced -- families displaced, young child that lost their life -- this is just really hard, " Johnson said.
Despite how hard this situation is, Johnson still places the well-being of others before herself.
"Babies are walking out in the street and I asked a mother, 'Can I give your daughter my socks?' Because she was barefoot," Johnson said.
Socks and toiletries are among the supplies Lysa Danielle is collecting to give to her neighbors displaced by the fire.
"We're just doing this because it's what God would want us to do and what we're supposed to do. If you can help somebody, you help them," she said.
One family who'll need a lot of help is Kim Dupell's family.
The fire killed her 12-year-old grandson, AJ, who got trapped in a back bedroom.
"AJ was the brightest ray of sunshine. He has such a giving heart, and was an avid gamer and animal lover," Dupell said. "He loved his family. He was my heart."
She started a fund for her daughter and granddaughter, and she said her family's been overwhelmed with messages of support.
"We need to support, support them as much as possible. They have a long, long road ahead of them," Dupell added.
The school district said grief counselors will be at Ralph J. Steinhauer Elementary School, where the boy was a student.
"Sadly, a fire went through Fox Meadow last night displacing many families. Please keep our Maple Shade families in your thoughts and prayers. We have crisis teams at our schools today to support our students and we are working with families that have been displaced. We will share information with you as we learn more," district officials said in a statement.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. CBS Philadelphia requested an interview with the apartment complex's management but we were told they were busy helping displaced families find housing.