Dozens displaced after fire rips through rowhomes in Camden, NJ

Camden, NJ (WTXF) Dozens are displaced after fire ripped through rowhomes in Camden, New Jersey.

Eliezer Vazquez wasn't just scared for himself but he was scared for his wife and 5 kids, including twin infants who were all asleep in a home in the 800 block of Haddon Avenue.

"All of a sudden, my wife she started screaming, 'There's a fire. There's a fire.' Jumped out of the bed and the house is already filled with fire," he told FOX 29.

Their upstairs apartment was smoke filled. The downstairs apartment and front of the building was engulfed in flames.

"We almost didn't make it because we couldn't even breathe already. I was about to pass out trying to get my kids out. So I couldn't even see each other yet, We were about to die," Vazquez explained.

However, he was able to break through a back window, got everyone onto a firewalk and to safety. All seven of them were taken to the hospital and are recovering. No one seriously hurt. But it could have been so much worse.

Julio DeJesus and his father live next door. So who saved their lives? They credit 9-month-old Augie, the family dog.

"I was sleeping. I hear the dog barking. He never barks like that,I wake u. I see he smoke," he said.

Camden County Police say it appears the fire was deliberately set and one person is in custody. Neighbors say it's a woman who'd just been evicted a day earlier and was out for revenge. The prosecutor's office just says the investigation is ongoing.