The grocery store owner initially smelled smoke more than 2 hours before the flames spread to apartments
TRENTON - A 3-alarm blaze that left 12 Trenton residents homeless late Thursday was sparked by an overloaded electrical box in a grocery store and spread to several apartments, officials said.
Trenton Chief Fire Marshal Michael Oakley said the owner of Lira Grocery on South Clinton Avenue initially smelled smoke in the store at 5:15 p.m., but couldn't find the source.
The owner smelled smoke again around 7:50 p.m. and when he investigated the second time, he found smoke billowing from the basement of the store, Oakley said.
By the time city firefighters arrived several minutes later, flames had climbed to the roof of the two-story building and the residents of the apartments above the grocery store were being evacuated, Oakley said.
The blaze quickly escalated to three alarms and spread to an adjacent two-story residence. The three families living in the apartments around the grocery store escaped unharmed, Oakley said.
An onlooker at the fire scene Friday morning said he saw at least one of the residents fleeing the fire while clutching an infant.
The Red Cross was on scene to assist the three families and provide temporary shelter.
Responded to a #fire in #Trenton, helping 3 families (12 people) with emergency assistance including temporary lodging. #DisasterRelief
-- Red Cross New Jersey (@NJRedCross) June 3, 2016
Oakley and Detectives Kevin Starkey and Mike Fibane of the Trenton Arson Unit were on scene investigating the cause the blaze Friday morning. Firefighters were still in the building dousing hot spots.
Greg Wright may be reached at gwright@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregTheWright. Find NJ.com on Facebook.