Community rallies to support families displaced by Oakwood Gardens apartment fire

 In the hours and days after a fast-moving apartment fire displaced multiple families in Lansdale, the community response has been swift, generous and deeply personal.

Firefighters from Fairmount Fire Company and numerous mutual aid departments battled the early morning blaze Thursday at the Oakwood Garden Apartments, operating for nearly six hours in frigid conditions. Crews were dispatched just before 4 a.m., and the incident escalated to a second alarm as additional resources were called in.

While the fire itself is now out, recovery efforts for residents are just igniting. 

Borough officials said the most urgent needs for displaced families are everyday essentials such as toiletries and clothing. To help meet those needs efficiently, Trinity Lutheran Church is currently accepting gift cards only for distribution to affected residents.

Richard Lesniak, Lansdale’s fire marshal, thanked residents for what he described as an overwhelming outpouring of support.

“The support offered to those impacted has been a powerful reminder of how deeply our community looks out for one another,” Lesniak said in a statement.

Gift cards to retailers such as Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, CVS and Walgreens can be dropped off in an envelope marked “Oakwood Garden Fire Donation” at Trinity Lutheran Church’s main office front desk, 1000 W. Main St., during designated weekday hours.

The American Red Cross continues to assist displaced residents with temporary housing and other recovery services. Six families, totaling 16 people, received emergency assistance following the fire, which damaged about a dozen apartment units.

Fire officials also used the incident to remind residents of the importance of working smoke alarms. In this case, smoke detectors alerted residents in time for them to evacuate safely, and no injuries were reported among residents or emergency responders.

Even after the Oakwood fire, it remained a demanding day for local firefighters. Fairmount crews were later dispatched to assist Hatfield Volunteer Fire Company at a separate house fire and handled additional calls before still gathering for their scheduled weekly training night.

Officials said the cause of the apartment fire remains under investigation