Bristol Fire Damages Apartments; Officer Injured

Seven families were displaced and a Bristol police officer had to be treated for smoke inhalation after a fire at the in the Levittown section of Bristol Township before sunrise Sunday morning, authorities reported. 

The blaze, which caused heavy fire damage to several third floor apartments, was reported shortly after 3 a.m., an Edgely fire official told Patch.

When firefighters from several local fire companies arrived, heavy smoke and flames billowed out of the multi-unit building as residents watched in horror from Mill Creek Road, one resident, who did not want his name published, said.

Another resident, "Q", said his pregnant wife woke him up in bed after she smelled smoke. The couple escaped to see the apartments right above their unit on fire.

By the time the sun came up Sunday, the young couple said they learned their apartment had suffered severe damage and was uninhabitable.

The Red Cross Disaster Assistant Team is assisting the displaced families. Red Cross Spokesman Dave Schrader said the total number of people displaced by fire includes 17 people.

Neighbors suspect the fire is started in the apartment of a known crack-cocaine user.

"You can smell him cooking the crack all the time," one male resident said. "I don't think he [started the fire], I know it."

Bristol authorities are still investigating the fire and as of press time have not released more information.

Levittown Patch will have more on this developing story as it becomes available.