WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Work continued Friday to help dozens of victims driven from a high-rise apartment building in Wilkes-Barre Thursday night.
Numerous crews were at the fire scene in the B'nai B'rith Senior Apartments on East Northampton Street in Wilkes-Barre Friday morning.
Firefighters were called just before 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
More than 100 people who live there were forced from the building. Some of those people had to be rescued and pulled out on stretchers. Several were taken to the hospital, with one person in critical condition.
Steven Borick has lived at the B'nai B'rith Senior Apartments for six years. Thursday night, Borick was in his fourth-floor apartment when the fire alarm went off. He says he alerted a neighbor, and they made their way downstairs.
"I realized the fire was over our head on the second floor. Smoke was filling the community room, so we decided to come outside where it was freezing cold, and nobody had coats on."
He sent Newswatch 16 video of flames shooting out of a second-floor window.
The fire department quickly arrived and began getting people to safety. More than 100 people were forced from the building, and 19 people were taken to the hospital. Bystanders also jumped into action to help where they could.
Borick tells Newswatch 16 it's a sight he'll never forget.
"It was scary, especially the screaming, people hanging out the window. They couldn't get down the stairwell because it was filled with smoke, and they were yelling my name, 'Help me, help me.'"
GAR Middle School in Wilkes-Barre opened its doors as a shelter for those displaced.
Officials with the Red Cross say there are 55 people using the shelter. The Red Cross is providing food and other resources to make sure everyone is as comfortable as possible during this time.
"From there, we can recover; this is the first stop in recovery. This is a difficult process. We have spiritual help here, mental health, so they have people to speak to so they can move on," said Sherry Nealon-Shrive, NEPA American Red Cross chapter.
Other people displaced are staying with loved ones until they are allowed back into the high-rise. It's not clear when the building will be safe enough for residents to return to.
"Your heart goes out to them," said Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown. "You feel bad, and anything we can do as a city, we are here for them. I told them that."
A city fire inspector is working to determine the cause.