A fire in a New Jersey apartment complex recently destroyed the homes of many last Tuesday. Lit candles on the third floor caused the fire when the flames caught near by combustibles and the fire spread throughout 11 different apartments throughout the building. According to a press release, the incident caused over $1 million in damages.
The first report of a fire came at 5:30 p.m. When firefighters had arrived, there was already heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof of the apartment building. The entire building was evacuated safely and all residents escaped with no injuries.
Residents of the building were shocked by the amount of damage done. One claimed “When [we evacuated], I didn’t think much of it. I never expected to see smoke like that.” Another resident, speaking about the rapid growth of the fire, claimed “it went fast” after flames began to show through the building’s roof.
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Fire Safety in Your Home
Places of residence such as apartment complexes, retirement homes, and assisted living buildings require a sound fire evacuation plan. Fire evacuation maps should not only be placed in every apartment, but also in hallways and walkways. Additionally, it is important to be very careful when using open flame at your home. For example, candles and gas stoves are common causes of home fires. If you live in an apartment complex, take a minute to identify every exit in your home. Locate fire safety tools such as fire extinguishers, sprinklers, and evacuation maps as well. These simple steps often go ignored, but could make the difference when a fire emergency arises.
PLAN. PREPARE. SAVE LIVES.
Building Maps is the industry leader in illustrating and maintaining fire evacuation maps. In addition to residential complexes, we serve school districts, manufacturing plants, commercial buildings, and everything in between. If you are illustrating your fire evacuation maps in house, consider getting a free quote from us. Our fire safety trained illustrators will not only redraw your existing maps, but also update any changes in the future for years to come. Visit our website or contact us for more information.
MORE INFO
Candles spark fire at Newark apartment complex (Delaware News Journal)
