Thursday Morning Fire Causes Evacuations, Two Minor Injuries

A Thursday morning structure fire at the Lawrence Plaza Apartments led to two minor injuries and a building evacuation, but Lawrence Township firefighters had the blaze under control in less than 30 minutes. 

A preliminary investigation by police and fire officials indicate that a resident accidentally caused the fire, according to Lawrence Township Police.

By 3 p.m. on Thursday, 42 apartments were still evacuated due to fire, smoke and water damage. Evacuees were staying in other apartments or with friends and family. 

According to police, a resident of the apartment complex at 2350 Princeton Pike reported the fire at 10:33 a.m. on Thursday. 

When police and firefighters arrived on the scene, they saw heavy smoke on the third floor of the apartment's B wing.  

Residents were evacuated and the fire was under control by 10:58. 

Although the fire was contained to one apartment, other apartments in the B wing suffered some smoke and water damage.

Two minor injuries were reported: one resident needed oxygen and another received a cut on the foot from broken glass. Both were treated at the scene by emergency personnel.  

The fire is under investigation by Lawrence Township Police, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and the Lawrence Township Code Enforcement Office. 

Responding fire companies were Slackwood, Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, Prospect Heights, Pennington Road, Hamilton, Colonial and Mercerville. Emergency Medical Services that responded were Lawrence, Trenton, Capital Health Robert Wood Johnson and Pennington.