NJ Firefighters, Cops Rescue 10 from Blaze that Destroyed Five Houses

 Ten people were rescued from a fast-moving fire in Atlantic City Wednesday afternoon.

"The fire quickly spread horizontally into all five buildings at the same time and then vertically inside the buildings,"  Fire Chief Scott Evans told 6abc. 

Atlantic City police officers helped five escape, while the firefighters used ladders to rescue five others from the third floor. 

The fire quickly escalated to three-alarms as more personnel were needed. Ventnor, Pleasantville, and Absecon firefighters answered the call. 

Three of the houses were occupied, two were not. So, authorities are checked to determine if there were squatters hanging out.

"I haven't seen this in 36 years," said Evans. "The rescues were made from third-floor windows off ground ladders. Guys were running into burning buildings with smoke and fire, grabbing the occupants and bringing them out safely."