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WATCH: Girls Jump From Balcony To Escape Dance Studio Fire

EDGEWATER, N.J. (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Several girls jumped for their lives from a balcony at a New Jersey dance studio to escape a raging fire.

Business owner Tony Nehmi told NJ.com he and a police officer helped some of the girls down before the ladders fell during the fire that broke out around 6 p.m. CT Monday.

The rest of the girls leaped from the balcony and were pulled away from the high flames.

Cell phone video captures Ismail Demir reaching up to help those jumping. "Every kid is scared," he said. "It was a big fire and everyone is jumping there."

Edgewater Mayor Michel Joseph McPartland says that about 15 girls were treated for minor injuries.

The cause of the fire at the building that also houses a car wash, hookah lounge and auto body shop wasn't immediately clear.

The fire was contained about two hours later.

(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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