Fire at Pine Hill, New Jersey, apartment building destroys 16 units, displaces at least 26
Sixteen apartment units were destroyed and at least 26 people were displaced after a massive fire at an apartment building in Pine Hill, New Jersey, on Tuesday night.
Pine Hill Police Chief Christopher Winters said officers and fire crews were dispatched just after 6 p.m. to the Mansion Apartments at 320 West Branch Street in Pine Hill, Camden County, for the report of a fire on a second-story balcony.
Winters said 16 families were displaced by the fire. The Red Cross is currently helping at least 26 people who were displaced.
Five police officers and one firefighter were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Winters said no civilians at the apartments were injured, but multiple people were assisted out of their units by police as the fire ravaged the building.
The fire was placed under control at about 8:20 p.m., according to Winters. Crews will remain on the scene overnight and be out there again on Wednesday.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Winters said there's no indication of foul play at the moment.
Deidra Hill said she was walking through the complex when she saw "flames everywhere" from the fire.
Yvonne Gibson said people were running around try to find their family as the fire spread through the apartment units.
"It was so sad, like, these people need prayer, man," Gibson said.
The fire happened as New Jersey has dealt with multiple wildfires recently amid a drought watch. Gov. Phil Murphy, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and other officials are considering issuing a drought warning for the Garden State.
