Oaklyn apartment fire likely caused by unattended kitchen

No injuries were reported.

By Matt Skoufalos | June 19, 2024

Residents of an Oaklyn apartment complex reportedly started cooking dinner on the stove Wednesday night, left the unit and returned to a house full of smoke.

First responders from five communities descended on The Savoy Annex Apartments in the 700 block of White Horse Pike in Oaklyn around 8 p.m. amid heavy smoke conditions.

Oaklyn Fire Chief Greg Grudzinski said police arrived on scene first and knocked down the door, but were unable to enter due to the overwhelming smoke.

Fire companies from Audubon, Collingswood and Westmont were on hand to support Oaklyn, as was Mount Ephraim Police Reserves Inc. (MEPRI) EMS.

Grudzinski said once firefighters identified the source of the smoke, the fire was contained within minutes.

No injuries were reported, none of the neighboring units appeared to have been damaged by smoke and residents affected by the incident were not displaced.

However, Oaklyn's fire chief had a message for the community.

“If you cook, stay home,” Grudzinski said. “Don’t leave your kitchen unattended.”