LANSDALE, PA — An early-morning fire at a Lansdale apartment complex prompted large-scale evacuations and left a dozen residential units uninhabitable, as emergency crews from across Montgomery County worked for more than an hour to bring the blaze under control.
According to the Lansdale Borough Police Department, officers were dispatched at approximately 3:50 a.m. on February 5 to reports of smoke in Building E at Oakwood Gardens Apartments, located at 421 East Main Street. Upon arrival, officers assisted residents from Buildings D and E with evacuations as fire crews converged on the scene.
Fairmount Fire Company led the firefighting response, supported by numerous surrounding companies including Montgomery Township, Towamencin, Hatfield, Upper Gwynedd, Colmar, North Penn, Harleysville, Skippack, Norriton, Upper Dublin, Centre Square, Telford, Fort Washington, Wissahickon, Worcester, Hilltown, Perseverance Fire Company of Souderton, and the Lansdale Fire Marshal.
Additional assistance was provided by North Penn Goodwill, VMSC Emergency Medical Services, and Lansdale Electric. Authorities said the fire was brought under control at approximately 5:08 a.m.
Officials reported that approximately twelve residential units were displaced as a result of the fire. With assistance from SEPTA, displaced residents were transported to an evacuation center established at Lansdale Catholic High School. The center was staffed by the American Red Cross and the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety’s Division of Emergency Management.
The Red Cross is assisting affected residents with both short-term and long-term housing needs, along with other support services. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. At this time, no arrests have been announced and no cause has been determined. Any individual who may later be identified as a suspect would be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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