A fire at a senior housing apartment building on the Jersey Shore forced hundreds of residents to flee, officials said.
The fire broke out late Friday night in an apartment on the fourth floor of the George J. Conway building on Chambers Brick Road in Brick.
The preliminary cause of the fire was careless use of smoking materials, Brick police said.
Smoke filled the building and officials evacuated 266 apartments.
Some residents climbed down fire escapes, others were taken out on stretchers.
Three people were hospitalized, including two who were released later in the day.
The Red Cross said it was providing housing for more than 120 displaced residents.
Local
Residents of two of the towers were allowed to return to their apartments Saturday afternoon. But residents of the B section won't be able to return for 5 to 10 days, police said.
