Apartment Fire With 'Extreme Hoarding' Injures Resident In Gloucester Co.

WOODBURY, NJ — Firefighters faced "extreme hoarding conditions" during an apartment fire that injured a resident Wednesday night in Woodbury.

It happened at 9:30 p.m. in the Autumn Woods Apartments — a four-story complex on 430 Cooper St.

As residents evacuated, crews found the fire in a third-floor apartment, where hoarding conditions got in their way, according to the Woodbury Fire Department. One person was rescued from the apartment as firefighters battled the blaze.

The fire was contained to the apartment, officials said.

A resident was brought to a local burn center for evaluation.

The fire is being investigated by the Gloucester County Fire Marshal's Office and Woodbury police.

Hoarding presents fire-safety risks for residents and firefighters. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends the following:

• Always keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from cooking and heating equipment.
• Keep doorways and windows clear for escape in case there's a fire.