At least 10 people injured; residents were forced out into the cold; cause of blaze being investigated
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – At least 20 people were taken to hospitals as a massive fire ripped through a senior living community in Pennsylvania, reports CBS Philadelphia .
The fire was reported around 11 p.m. Thursday at Barclay Friends Senior Living Community, about 35 miles west of Philadelphia.
CBS Philadelphia says authorities believed all the injuries were non-life threatening.
The fire quickly spread to multiple buildings and flames could be seen shooting from the roofs and windows of the structures, forcing residents to evacuate outside into the cold. News helicopter video shows dozens of residents lining up along the street, wrapped in blankets. Many were in wheelchairs. A spokesperson for the community, Faith Woodward, said it was about 40 degrees outdoors at the time.
Residents who weren’t taken to hospitals were brought to various facilities in the area, CBS Philadelphia says.
Woodward told CBS news 140 people live in the community. All were evacuated and, as far as she knew, accounted for.
It was unclear what sparked the fire. Woodward said residents heard a “big pop” just before it began.
CBS News has learned the facility was found to be in violation of some fire safety standards during its latest inspection, in February, but had since corrected the violations.
