Flames broke out around 2:00 a.m. Saturday inside the Gramercy Park Apartments, on the 2800 block of Hull Road in Camden.
Firefighters quickly ran into challenges as the fire spread across two floors of the 8 unit complex.
Camden Fire Chief Michael Harper tells us, "Unfortunately, in this apartment complex, the water supply is very difficult because the hydrants are sporadic."
But the crews powered on, elevating hoses at angles to douse the towering flames as firefighters rushed into the building to rescue the people trapped inside.
The 22-month-old boy who died was initially pulled from his crib and carried outside to EMS units on scene. The boy's 4-month-old brother was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and their mom was treated for shock.
Three others suffered minor injuries.
Kim Russ says she lived in a shelter with the boy's mom until recently and knows that her friend had been working hard to provide for her two young children.
Russ explains, "We struggled too much for this to happen. Me and her came a long way. We basically helped each other to get where we was at now and he's gone."
18 people are now homeless as a result of this fire. The Red Cross is assisting all while the community is grappling with the emotional loss of a child.
The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
