EDGEWATER, N.J. — Authorities in New Jersey say several girls jumped from a balcony to escape a fire at a dance studio. The fire happened around 7 p.m. Monday at a multiuse building in Edgewater. CBS New York reports that video from the scene showed children trapped on the fiery balcony and screaming for help as bystanders rushed to get ladders to them.
But the ladders fell and eventually the people above began to drop and jump down to escape the fire. Cell phone video captures Ismail Demir reaching up to help those jumping.
“Every kid is scared,” he said. “It was a big fire and everyone is jumping there.”
Edgewater Police Sgt. James Dalton and bystander Tony Nehmi worked together to climb a ladder on the first story roof as thick black smoke and flames came shooting out the side of the building.
“It was the scariest moment of my career, to be quite honest,” said Dalton.
In the chaos, the two broke the window to the second floor dance studio to rescue the girls.
“We looked up there, were two girls on the second floor banging on the window,” said Dalton. “We couldn’t do it quick enough. Once we got them out, they told us they were the last two people in there. Big sigh of relief.”
“Oh my god, the girls was so scared, crying and screaming,” said Nehmi. “It was horrible.”
Five people were taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
“Thank God nobody was dead. That was our only concern,” said witness Ilker Kesiktas. “Little injuries, but we care about the lives of those kids.”
The structure houses five different businesses, including a car wash and a restaurant where authorities think the fire may have started.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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