Families Displaced In Lindenwold Fire

By Diana Rocco

LINDENWOLD, N.J., (CBS) -- Several families are displaced and a firefighter suffered minor injuries in a fire in Lindenwold, Camden County.

Chopper 3 was overhead as flames poured from two attached homes on Colonial Square Drive -- in all four houses, leaving more than 12 people homeless.

Just before 7 p.m. Thursday, neighbors saw smoke coming from the top floor of a home.

"When I smelled smoke, I knew something was wrong," said a resident, who has lived there for 20 years. While she escaped, her dog, a three-year-old Yorkie, never made it out.

"This is what I have. This is it. This is it," she said.

It took firefighters 90 minutes to gain control and they continued to douse hot spots into the evening. Fire officials say by the time they arrived, flames were already shooting from the roof.

"Windows were left open so the more oxygen is going to fuel the fire in a much quicker path and that's working against them," said Camden County Chief Fire Marshal Paul Sandrock.

Mark Turtlelot has to leave his home two doors down.

"They told me you have to get out of the house, there's a fire, and I looked out and I could see flames billowing out of the third floor front bedroom," said Turtlelot.

His wife and son tried to grab their two cats, but they were forced out.

"They're still in there somewhere, I have no idea where they're at or whether they're okay. They told my son and my wife to get out of the house.  I've got a blood clot in my leg, I couldn't go down and get my shoes, my wallet, my medicine," said Turtlelot.

More than 12 people are now in the care of the American Red Cross.  Eyewitness News is told a firefighter has been treated for minor injuries, but is expected to be okay.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.