LAKEWOOD - A fire tore through a block of apartments in the township Thursday evening, displacing people from at least 15 units, gutting two second-floor duplexes and damaging several others, an official said.
The call about the fire on Deer Path in the Amber Grove apartment complex came in about 6:30 p.m.
Firefighters arriving first saw heavy flames coming from the rear of Building 6 and smoke from the front, Lakewood Fire Department Chief Jonathan Yahr said.
Police assisted in the evacuation and a search showed that all residents had escaped, he said. No one was injured, although the status of cats saved from the fire was uncertain, Yahr said.
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The fire quickly rose to three alarms.
The blaze started on the second-floor balcony of one of the two-story duplexes and extended inside before spreading to the neighborhing home, Yahr said. Eight apartments were damaged by water and smoke, including several first-floor units, Yahr said.
In all, 15 units were deemed unsafe or uninhabitable, police said.
Firefighters managed to keep 10 or 12 units downwind from the smoke and flames from sustaining any damage, Yahr said. About 60 firefighters battled the blaze, he said.
The building, more than 20 years old, has sprinklers but not on balconies or in attic spaces, which is within code for residential spaces, he said.
The fire remains under investigation.
The American Red Cross has offered assistance to the people from the 15 units. Twelve of them stayed at a temporary shelter at Holy Family on East County Line Road in Lakewood overnight while others remained with family, said Diane Cannon, spokesperson for the Red Cross.
Ken Serrano covers breaking news, crime and investigations. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or kserrano@gannettnj.com.
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