Camden officials investigating 13 suspicious vacant rowhouse fires
Camden officials are investigating 13 suspicious fires that occurred in vacant rowhouses over the weekend, the Fire Marshal's Office said Monday.
Camden officials are investigating 13 suspicious fires that occurred in vacant rowhouses over the weekend, the Fire Marshal's Office said Monday.
Seven firefighters were taken to Cooper University Hospital with minor injuries.
Fire investigators are looking into the cause of the fires, three of which rose to a second alarm, requiring more firefighters and which were "intense," the Fire Marshal's Office said.
Camden Fire Department Chief Michael Harper told reporters at the scene of one fire that firefighters "were physically exhausted from going from one fire to the next. Most of the fires went one right behind the other."
The suspicious fires happened in a one-mile radius, the Fire Marshal's Office said.
Five of the vacant rowhouse fires occurred Saturday. Calls came in at:
1) 4:04 p.m. at 1112 Jackson St.
2) 5:24 p.m. at 1832 S. Sixth St.
3 and 4) 5:57 p.m. for two adjacent rowhouses at 730 and 732 Mount Vernon St. These fires went up to a second alarm.
5) 7:47 p.m. at 743 Walnut.
Meanwhile, eight occurred on Sunday and were called in at:
6) 2:31 p.m. at 8th and Cherry Streets.
7) 4:01 p.m. at 862 Haddon Ave.
8) 4:14 p.m. at 890 Haddon Ave.
9) 4:48 p.m. at 1040 Princess.
10) 4:54 p.m. at 1319 Park Blvd. This fire went up to a second alarm.
11) 5:11 p.m. at 1203 Lansdowne Ave.
12) 5:55 p.m. at 1260 Sycamore St.
13) 6:23 p.m. at 771 Pine St. This fire went up to a second alarm.
The Fire Marshal's Office, Camden County Police Department and the Prosecutor's Office are looking into the cause of the fires.
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