Fire Guts Complex

Dozens of people are homeless this morning in Blackwood, N.J., after a five-alarm apartment-complex fire.

The blaze happened at the Fountain View Village apartments early Wednesday morning.

The fire damage was clearly visible Wednesday morning, with parts of the apartment complex's roof were missing and the inside of some apartments gutted.

The flames displaced 50 people and left most residents shocked as the fire started on the roof and spread to the building.

It took two hours to put the 5-alarm blaze out, officials said.

Officials said 20 units of 22 apartments at the complex were affected by the blaze.

One woman interviewed by NBC 10 was just happy to be alive.

"Everything happens for a reason," she said. "I will spend the night with my friend and figure out what to do tomorrow."

Investigators are still trying to determine a cause. About a dozen residents are staying at a nearby school in the fire's aftermath.

Author: Copyright 2005 by NBC10.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.