A day after the fire, which authorities believe started in a vacant building that was rented by the Reliable Tire Co. between 1964 and 1999, the neighbors swapped stories about losing everything and tried to figure out what to do next.
Near the fire scene in the city's Parkside section, Camden Mayor Dana L. Redd said city officials were setting up a relief fund for those affected. At least 65 people were unable to return home, city officials said.
No deaths or serious injuries occurred during the fire, which broke out about 4:30 p.m. Thursday and was declared under control shortly after 9 p.m. Four firefighters and one civilian were treated for smoke inhalation.
Fire officials continued to try to identify the cause of the fire that virtually leveled two blocks. Officials could not say Friday whether the blaze was suspicious.
The near-100-degree temperature made firefighters' work more difficult, but vandalized hydrants and difficulty finding enough water to fight such a large inferno posed more serious problems, said Camden Fire Chief Michael Harper.
Firefighters couldn't hook up to hydrants on Mount Vernon or Louis Streets because vandals had stolen the brass fittings used to connect their hoses, Harper said. Engines drove around in search of usable hydrants.
Fire companies also pumped water from the Cooper River, up to a mile away, Harper said.
"That was a godsend," he said. "It was a considerable amount of time before we could get water to certain areas of the fire."
Union officials said that recent layoffs of Camden fire personnel affected the city department's response.
