Pennsauken High-Rise Fire Displaces About 40 Residents

A fast-moving fire in a 14-story apartment tower in Pennsauken, New Jersey, damaged about 20 apartments and left roughly 40 people without a place to stay early Monday, according to local fire officials and TV news reports. A woman who fled her fifth-floor unit through a window was seriously hurt.

What happened

Firefighters were sent to the Cooper River complex on McClellan Avenue at about 2 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 26. NBC10 Philadelphia puts the dispatch at 2:16 a.m. and places the building in the 2400 block of the avenue. The property is described as Cooper River Plaza by FOX 29 and NBC10 and as Cooper River Apartments by 6abc, so the name varies by outlet.

Crews found heavy smoke coming from a unit at the rear of the building. A second alarm was struck, and 6abc reported that a third alarm followed after nearly an hour as additional neighboring departments joined the response. FOX 29, citing the Pennsauken Fire Department, said the blaze rose to three alarms and damaged 20 apartments.

The woman who left the window

Reports agree that a woman left a fifth-floor apartment before firefighters could reach her. 6abc said she was seen hanging from a window, then fell to the parking lot, and that she was taken to Cooper Hospital in critical condition. FOX 29 and NBC10, in their earlier reports, said only that she was taken to a hospital and that her condition had not been released. Her name has not been made public in the reports we reviewed.

No other injuries were reported. According to 6abc, two residents who use wheelchairs called 911 from the ninth floor and were brought out safely.

Evacuation and displacement

NBC10 said several hundred people were evacuated from the building. 6abc did not give a number, saying most residents had to leave while some on the top floors were told to stay in their apartments. Residents were being allowed back in around 6 a.m., NBC10 reported, but the fire department told FOX 29 that about 40 people were displaced, which suggests those residents were not among the ones let back in.

The reports we reviewed did not say where the displaced residents were staying or whether the Red Cross or the township had opened a shelter.

Cause and a warning residents had stopped hearing

The cause has not been announced. NBC10 reported that investigators believe the fire started in the apartment of the injured woman, and that the investigation is continuing. The cause and any contributing factors remain unconfirmed.

One resident told FOX 29 that false alarms had been frequent enough at the building that people often shrugged them off, but that "this time it was real." That detail matters for tenants everywhere: a building that routinely evacuates for nothing can teach residents to ignore the one alarm that counts.

What this means for renters

High-rise fires put renters in a hard spot, because the right move depends on where the fire is. Fire-safety guidance generally says to leave if your own unit or corridor is affected, and to stay put with the door closed and a wet towel at the gap if the hallway is full of smoke, calling 911 to report exactly where you are. Learn both stairwells before you need them, and never use an elevator during a fire.

• Treat every alarm as real. If false alarms are frequent, put it in writing to management and ask what is being done to fix them.
• If you are displaced, contact your landlord or property manager right away, keep every receipt for hotels, food and clothing, and call your renters insurer. Many policies include coverage for additional living expenses while a unit is unlivable.
• Ask for help early. The American Red Cross can be reached at 1-800-RED-CROSS, and local housing and emergency-management offices often have displacement resources.
• Document your belongings with dated photos or video, and keep a copy of your lease and insurance policy somewhere you can reach from your phone.
• Know your lease terms. Rules on rent abatement and early termination after a fire vary by state and by lease, so ask a tenant-rights organization or attorney about your options.

We will update this story if officials release a cause, the woman's condition or details on where displaced residents are being housed.