Several Displaced After 2-Alarm Fire In Montgomery County
By Crystal Cranmore and Diana Rocco
WYNCOTE, Pa. (CBS) - A two-alarm fire broke out at an apartment complex in Montgomery County Saturday afternoon.
Fire officials were called out to the Towers at Wyncote apartment complex in the 800 block of Limekiln Pike at about noon after a fire was reported inside a 5th floor unit.
Joe Stuckert, the chief of the Glenside Fire Department, says the fire was upgraded to two alarms due to the size of the building. Crews acted quickly to contain the fire in the apartment before it had a chance to spread.
"I heard somebody yell there was a fire," said Mark Stillman, a resident who helped evacuate his neighbors. Stillman saw smoke in the hallway and noticed smoke coming from his neighbor's apartment. He started warning other neighbors to evacuate the building.
"You can see maybe a hands length in front of you," said Stillman.
"The guy is a hero," said Denise Thompson, who is now homeless after the fire. "He knocked on everybody's doors and save a lot of people's lives. Thompson isn't able to return home Saturday night due to smoke damage in her apartment but says thanks to her quick-thinking neighbor, her cousin got out safely.
Residents were evacuated from the building and some were able to return hours later. However, the Red Cross is assisting at least 12 people who were displaced as a result of the fire. Ten of those people are being provided lodging.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Authorities are investigating.
