BREAKING: STRUCTURE FIRE ON CHERRY STREET

TEN RESPONDING TOWNSHIPS BATTLE BLAZE

Two residents from the 100 block of Cherry Street are safe tonight along with their pets, but their home sustained heavy damage. Firefighters entered the house with self-contained breathing apparatus to sustain them through the thick smoke. There is a need for multiple teams of fresh fighters because air bottles limit the time that can be spent in a structure and because the heavy equipment incurs a high fatigue factor. One hazard observed at the scene that this reporter did not anticipate is the amount of flying debris that rained onto the street [and onto firefighters who were erecting ladders] as windows were smashed out from inside the building. Another were tripping hazards of telecom wires that nearly entangled a firefighter who climbed a hydraulic ladder projected from a truck. An official at the command center stated that the “RV Districts” and Mount Laurel run together on “structure fires”. The Reporter observed vehicles from Evesham, Mt. Holly, Mt. Laurel, Eastampton, Westampton, Lumberton, Florence, Willingboro, and Burlington at the scene. The fire appeared to be extinguished by 9 pm.