Huge Fire Placed Under Control

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The four-alarm fire that destroyed the entire 48-unit B building at Racquet Club Apartments was placed under control at around 1 a.m., about about 4 hours after it began Friday night, officials said.

Two residents of the apartment building were injured and are currently in St. Mary Medical Center and Aria Bucks County Hospital in stable condition, Fire Marshal Jim McGuire said. As of 1 a.m., there were unconfirmed reports at least two firefighters were transported to the hospital for unknown reasons.

McGuire said the fire started in a second-floor apartment and spread to the attic of the U-shaped building, where it quickly spread.

The fire marshal said the investigation into what caused the massive fire is ongoing.

No residents or otherwise were believed to be trapped in building at the time of the blaze, a Middletown Township police sergeant told LevittownNow.com.

The Red Cross said more than 50 people are homeless. More are expected.

Fire crews were dispatched at 9:07 p.m. for a fire at the complex, McGuire said. A police officer said the fire quickly grew in size and second alarm was struck minutes after the first firefighters began fighting the blaze.

Before a third-alarm was struck at around 10:20 p.m., firefighters were valiantly fighting the flames. Several times sirens screamed and fire crews were called off the roof and out of the burning building over concerns of collapse and spreading fire.

By the time the fourth alarm was struck, the majority of the large flames were gone. Officials say the call was placed in an effort to get more manpower to the scene.

Thousands upon thousands of people lined the fire tape to watch the first responders in action.

Firefighters started taking water from the complex pool and were forced cut down a chain-linked fence so that additional firefighter could make it to the scene.

McGuire said he expected fire crews to be fighting hot spots and flare ups at the apartment complex into Saturday morning.

Portions of New Falls Road, Durham Road and Veterans Highway were closed.

More information will be posted in the coming hours.