Pennsylvania

Residents Jump to Safety After Middle of Night Fire at Montgomery County Apartments

Frenzied families jumped to safety after flames broke out overnight inside a Montgomery County apartment building.

The fire began shortly before 1 a.m. Wednesday on the second floor of the Washington Tower Apartments on Bethlehem Pike between Pennsylvania Avenue and Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

As first responders pulled up they saw residents trapped on their balconies and in units calling for help. Police and firefighters helped get those people down safely from the four-story building.

“The apartment is on fire … yeah I jumped … some guy helped me,” said Jasmine Juarez who along with her two children jumped out a second-floor window into a waiting police officer’s arms.

Firefighters used ladders to get residents down off upper level balconies.

Two people were hospitalized with smoke inhalation. One person suffered minor burns.

Firefighters continued to battle thick smoke and slippery conditions caused by water used to extinguish the blaze throughout the early morning hours of Wednesday.

It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the fire, which left extensive damage throughout the building.

The blaze displaced about 100 people.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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