A fire swept through three South Jersey homes Monday leaving at least seven people hurt.
The fire started around 3:30 a.m. Monday in a home on Mehorter Boulevard in Woodbury, Gloucester County and spread to two other homes and several vehicles. In the the end two of the homes, including one that was vacant and for sale, as well as two cars were destroyed while a third house was damaged. One person reportedly jumped from one of the homes to escape.
"I just grabbed a blanket and I came running outside and everyone was outside besides the one guy who jumped out of the window," said Ian Picking, one of the displaced residents.
A family of three lived in one of the homes that caught fire. They were able to escape unharmed however.
"There was a five-month-old baby in there," Woodbury Fire Chief Randall Gartner said. "Nobody hurt. They got out."
Chief Gartner told NBC10 around 75 firefighters responded to the fire and had to deal with dangerous conditions.
"Electrocution. I mean you're dealing with the water," Chief Gartner said. "You got the wind. You got the wind blowing the wires around that are still hot on the ground."
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PSE&G officials told NBC10 they sent technicians to shut off gas and de-energize electric lines at the scene within an hour.
"It took over five hours to get a supervisor out here," Chief Gartner said.
Seven people, including Picking, were taken to the hospital. Four remained Monday afternoon but are expected to fully recover. Picking told NBC10 he lost all his possessions in the fire. He's thankful that he didn't lose something far more valuable however: his life.
"I definitely was fortunate enough and God definitely was taking care of me," he said.
Picking and others who were displaced by the fire attend the nearby Calvary Church. The church, neighbors and Picking's landlord are all raising money for the victims.
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