Florence House Fire: Two Rescued From Roof

Florence Township, NJ- Firefighters responded to an emergency on May 9, 2023, at 7:03 a.m. when the Florence Township Fire Department received a call that a house was on fire and people were trapped inside. Upon arrival, the firefighters were met with heavy smoke, two people frozen on the front roof and intense fire on the building’s right rear. Acting quickly, the firefighters used a ladder to reach the victims, rescued them, and stretched a 1 ¾” hose line to control the blaze that had already extended to the apartment on the second floor, the attic above, and the adjoining duplex on the left side.

The efforts to extinguish the fire included departments from Bordentown City, Bordentown Township, Burlington City, Burlington Township, Delran Township, Riverside Township, and Willingboro Township. And while residents from the apartment were transported to nearby hospitals, it is still unclear the extent to which they were injured.

At approximately 7:47 a.m., the fire was brought under control. The Florence Township Fire Marshal and the Florence Township Police Department are jointly conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire, which remains unclear at this time.

“Working smoke detectors save lives, test them monthly, have an escape plan, have a meeting place, and practice them,” advised the fire department, urging the community to prioritize safety measures to prevent future occurrences.

Prior to the firefighters’ response, around 7:00 a.m. on May 9, a fire in the 300 Block of Third Street was reported. Firefighters arrived to find smoke and fire coming from a 2 ½ story duplex home with two individuals trapped. The victims were rescued, and they were airlifted to the hospital. The fire was extinguished within half an hour.

While reports continue to emerge, Midjersey.news is monitoring the situation for any new updates.