Burlington County 2-alarm apartment fire displaces nearly a dozen people

An early morning Burlington County two-alarm fire forces nearly a dozen people from their homes, as investigators work to figure out what sparked the flames. And, it’s the quick action of a nearby firefighter that spotted smoke coming from the building that very well could have saved lives.

"A tremendous response by our resources," Florence Township Fire Department administrator Robert Tharp said.

As crews from the Florence Township, New Jersey, Fire Department checked for any hot spots and searched for a cause into the fire at Tollgate Plaza that left 11 people displaced. Family members are breathing a sigh of relief.

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"They responded pretty fast!" resident Martin Herman commented.

Herman, his wife and their dog were woke up to smoke and chaos happening in their building, just above them Sunday morning.

"My brother said that Grandma’s house is on fire," said a grandchild of the Herman’s. "I was like, ‘I got to get over there."

Tharp says the fire was contained quickly and could have been much worse. "The roof area above all the areas is common so, you basically have fire extend across the building to all sides. So, it’s very challenging for fire department resources."

Crews are investigating a cause of the fire. No injuries were reported for residents or fire crews. The Red Cross are assisting those displaced.