For one of those displaced residents, it just happened to be the night before her wedding.
Her quick thinking likely saved the ceremony.
Siobhan Forino and John Rios are two New Jersey teachers have been together for 3 1/2 years.
Siobhan Forino is a gorgeous bride posing before a spectacular backdrop on a perfect day, but at 9:30 p.m. Friday she went to bed only to be awakened by a fire.
And there was her wedding gown and her bridesmaids' dresses.
The family had to make a run for it, but Siobhan here has been planning this wedding for two whole years.
One by one she pitched the gown and the dresses off the fire escape.
She left her veil and her engagement ring behind inside.
Hours later, firefighters gave her sister ten minutes to grab whatever she could.
"I knew she would kill me if I didn't find the ring so I made that a priority," sister Samantha Blackbourn said.
Everything was safe but not everyone, grandma went to the hospital with chest pains.
Now, they all are together happy, healthy, ready to celebrate life and love.
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