Apartments burn in Delran

All 50 residents of a building that was ravaged by fire early yesterday at the Hunters Glen Apartments complex in Delran were moved to other apartments in the gated community by the end of the day.

As officials combed the wreckage at building No. 83 in the afternoon, the interiors of several apartments could be seen from the street. Much of the roof had collapsed over two units, and some walls were gone. No one was injured in the blaze.

"I was shaken and felt total disbelief," said Andrea Henderson, 50, a resident of the building who smelled smoke around 2:30 a.m. and awakened her daughter, Crystal, 30. "We put on clothes, then knocked on doors and woke our neighbors up."

The two sat yesterday afternoon at a linen-covered table in the ballroom of the complex's recreation center, clutching survival bags from the Burlington County Chapter of the American Red Cross and eating baked ziti provided by the center's caterer.

"Our unit lost its roof. We're starting off the new year real well," Andrea Henderson said.

The women described a frightening fire scene of families and screaming children fleeing flames and stumbling, disoriented, out of their apartments and into the cold air without shoes and only light clothing.

Neighbors in the 1,124-unit complex of 3,000 residents quickly showed up with blankets and coats to warm the victims, the Hendersons said.

"Other neighbors offered us places in the apartments to sleep," Crystal Henderson said. "People were very nice."

The cause of the blaze had not been officially determined last night, according to the Delran Fire Department. But Peggy Pippin, assistant property manager at the complex, said fire officials had told her that a faulty appliance may have been to blame.

The two-alarm fire in the 16-unit, two-story brick building off Route 130 summoned 100 firefighters from Delran, Riverside, Cinnaminson, Moorestown, Willingboro and Beverly, fire officials said.

Residents of all 16 units were being moved by lunchtime yesterday, even though only six apartments were damaged, Pippin said.

"I'm feeling pretty confused right now," said Jasmine Roberts, 21, whose family was being moved. "I don't know which apartment we'll be living in now."