Some unaccounted for after senior center fire

an afternoon news conference that no relatives had reported any family mem- Authorities struggled on bers missing.

Friday to account for the Dozens of neighbors whereabouts of all the resrushed to help with the residents of a Pennsylvania cue, wrapping the elderly in senior living community after blankets and carrying some a massive blaze tore through of them to ambulances in their complex during the makeshift gurneys. Some of middle of the night, injurthe residents were taken to ing nearly 30 and leading to a shelter set up at a nearby a chaotic evacuation. college.

West Chester Mayor Jordan Emergency management Norley said Friday afternoon officials said much of the that a few of the more than burned-out complex was 130 residents of the Barclay too unstable for investiga- Friends Senior Living Comtors to enter and check to munity, located west of Phil- make sure everyone got out. adelphia, were unaccounted Barclay Friends offers varfor following the huge fire. ious levels of care including

“We’re hoping for the best, memory care, skilled nursobviously, here,” said Nor- ing and post-acute rehabili- ley, who put the number tation. The cause of the fire taken to area hospitals at 29. there was under investiga

Officials said fewer than 20 tion. remained hospitalized and Larry Kingsland said he all were in good condition. and scores of neighbors fer

County emergency officials ried elderly residents to med- said there was the possibilics as firefighters rescued ity someone could have died them from the inferno. in the fire, which erupted “Everyone saw how devlate Thursday night. But a astating the fire was, and we spokeswoman for the federal all had the same reaction: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, that people needed help,” Firearms and Explosives, he said. “The whole neighwhich was on the scene, told borhood was helping.”

The fire spread to multiple buildings, engulfing sections within minutes as more than 400 emergency personnel responded. The heat was so intense that one firefighter battling the blaze discovered his helmet was melting, said county emergency services director Robert Kagel.

A spokeswoman for the senior center said about 132 residents were present when the blaze broke out. Emergency officials put the number of staff at about 20; they were all accounted for.

Patients at Paoli Hospital were admitted with issues related to smoke inhalation. A county official said some of the hospitalized residents complained of chest pains.

Many of the residents were pushed in wheelchairs or rolled on beds to safety, said Dina Ciccarone, another neighbor who helped move people away from the fire and to safety.

In some cases, she said, people used blankets as makeshift gurneys to assist in the rescue effort.

“Most of them could not walk,” Ciccarone said.