Six Apartment Units in Somers Point Damaged by Fire
Sunday, December 02 2007 @ 04:00 pm EST
Contributed by: CBrining
By LYNDA COHEN Staff Writer, 609-272-7257
From the Atlantic City Press Published: Sunday, December 2, 2007
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SOMERS POINT - Hector Campos' eyes were red-rimmed as he watched firefighters throw charred pieces from his second-floor apartment.
He was returning from lunch with his family at about 2 p.m. Saturday when he saw the firetrucks lined up outside the O building of the Sea Aire Apartments. Firefighters were on the roof cutting holes as smoke billowed out.
"I didn't know what happened," Campos said. At the scene, officials had few details. The fire started inside the second floor, in the upper part of the ceiling, Deputy Fire Chief Frank Denan said. There was fire damage to two units, but none of the six apartments is inhabitable. At least two of the units had no one living there.
The group of people gathered outside all said they saw the smoke, but none saw flames. Firefighters spent most of their time in Campos' unit, which is where the ceiling was cut.
Campos, his wife and two small daughters had lived in their second-floor apartment for about four years, he said. Saturday night they would be staying in a motel room. Campos didn't know what would happen next.
"Thank God my family's OK," he said softly, still appearing dazed by what happened.
Christine Leyva lives in the building next door. She was on the phone when she heard yelling outside.
"I thought it was a fight," she said.
But when she went to see what it was, a firefighter came banging on her door to tell her to evacuate. She grabbed her 5-year-old grandson and called to her daughter to grab her 3-year-old and they all ran out.
Leyva was allowed to go back in a little later to retrieve medication. She said the smell of smoke was heavy.
"I heard a police car and firetrucks," said Sonya Torian, who lives in the same building as Leyva.
Torian came out on her first-floor balcony in time to see firefighters clearing the building. She and her 16-year-old daughter, Marisol, left.
The fire was under control by about 3 p.m. No one could be reached for further details about the fire Saturday evening.
To e-mail Lynda Cohen at The Press: LCohen@pressofac.com
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