Multi-alarm fire displaces residents, damages homes in Trenton

TRENTON, N.J. (WPVI) -- Firefighters battled a multi-alarm blaze in Trenton Wednesday morning that put more than half a dozen people out of their homes.

It broke out at 5:00 a.m. at an abandoned building in the 300 block of South Olden Avenue.

"There was flames everywhere," said Christopher Brisco. "I ran back upstairs, and I had to jump out the window."

Brisco injured his heels in that jump, but still ran to warn his neighbors on South Olden Avenue that the fire that started in number 364, where he'd been staying, was spreading fast.

"Somebody knocked on my door, say 'Fire!'" said resident Clara Amaya. "I no have time. Somebody give me these clothes."

Amaya told Action News she had to run because her home was filled with smoke.

"I went to go get the kids," explained Victoria Amaya. "I had to go get the kids out, and then it was, like, big."

Big enough that Trenton firefighters called 4 alarms, summoning mutual aid. That brought about 80 firefighters from the surrounding areas to fight the smoky blaze.

Officials at the scene feared it would spread down the block.

"They are semi-detached homes which means there's an alleyway. The fire was so intense it actually jumped the alleyway and got into the building next door," said Trenton Fire Department Deputy Chief Leonard Carmichael.

"It was like another floor of just flames on both houses," said resident Charlie Lowndes, "just large flames flying up in the air."

Two firefighters were taken to the hospital with heat exhaustion.

Firefighters battling a blaze like this one wear about 125 pounds of gear, including their flame retardant turnout suits and breathing apparatus.

"If you wear ski pants, ski jacket, your hat and your gloves and then put a muff over your mouth and ran about 3 miles, that's how it would feel wearing all this gear out in this heat today," said Battalion Chief Robert Tharp.

"It's very brutal," said firefighter Bryan White. "Just got to pace yourself, try not to work too fast or you're going to overexert yourself, lose a lot of energy that way."

Officials set up a temporary shelter for eight displaced residents at the nearby Hedgepeth-Williams Elementary School.

As a result of Wednesday morning's fire, officials said three of the four homes affected will likely have to be torn down.

Investigators are still working to determine what sparked the blaze.