Man jumps out of window to escape Atlantic City fire, video shows
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- As a fire burned Thursday morning at a rooming house on Georgia Avenue in Atlantic City, a man jumped to escape the flames, video from a resident shows.
The fire started in a four-story building on Georgia Avenue off of Pacific Avenue before spreading to two neighboring buildings, Atlantic City Fire Department Chief Scott Evans said Thursday.
The man is seen hanging from an upper-story window at the building, which Evans described as a rooming house. Maps and old listings show the building was formerly a hotel known as the Hotel Cassino.
Renne Black was on Facebook Live filming as the fire spread.
"Be careful! Oh my God," a woman's voice can be heard saying in the video.
The man later jumped from the window and was injured.
International students displaced by Atlantic City fire
A total of 80 people were displaced after the fire, including over 40 international students who were on J-1 visas, Evans said.
David Pataino, of Colombia, was home when the fire broke out.
"When I woke up, there was smoke in my room," he said. "The [firefighter] said 'go, go, go outside,' because it is on fire."
Another student, 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 New Jersey Red Cross was set up in Boardwalk Hall and working to connect people with assistance.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
