Anywhere from 500 to 1,000 people are homeless after a roaring fire destroyed the 408-unit Avalon apartment complex in Edgewood, New Jersey.
Edgewater Fire Chief Tom Jacobson attributed the rapid pace of the blaze to the structure’s “lightweight” wood structure with a truss-styled roof.
“If it was made out of concrete and cinder block, we wouldn’t have this sort of problem,” he said.
When the Jacobson was asked if he would live in a building complex made of wood, the fire chief refused to answer.
The same apartment structure burned to the ground in 2000 while under construction.
Featured image: The Cliffview Pilot
