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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A fire breaking out at the Sherman Hills apartments in Wilkes-Barre caused the building to be evacuated on Saturday evening.</p><p>Police, fire and medic teams from Wilkes-Barre City responded around 5 p.m. for reports of a structure fire at Sherman Hills.</p><p>Witnesses to the scene believe that the fire was caused by a lit cigarette catching fire on a windowsill, leading to a larger blaze breaking out.</p><p>Firefighters were seen working on the side of the building, where it is believed that most of the damage was contained.</p><p>Carlos Serrano, a guest of friends inside the building, was instrumental in making sure that everyone got out safely.</p><p>&#8220;I started knocking on doors, getting everybody else from the lower apartments out. The fire didn&#8217;t want to stop, I used a fire extinguisher to its completion and it just kept going up,&#8221; Serrano said.</p><p>He did receive a minor injury for his troubles, sustained when the melting glass from a Plexiglas window dripped down onto his forearm and shirt. This is believed to be the only injury suffered from the fire.</p><p>&#8220;The melting window caught me on the shirt, caught me on the arm,&#8221; Serrano said. &#8220;It doesn&#8217;t feel good.&#8221;</p><p>Serrano wasn&#8217;t sure how the fire got started, but he did say that he agreed with the going theory that the blaze was caused by a cigarette.</p><p>&#8220;It was probably an accident, just someone not paying attention and flicks a cigarette. It&#8217;s Plexiglas, so it stays for a while,&#8221; Serrano said.</p><p>&#8220;The buildings have cameras, so hopefully we&#8217;ll get to see what happens next.&#8221;</p><p>When reached by a reporter later Saturday, Wilkes-Barre fire Chief Jay Delaney said the fire is under investigation.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre firefighters extinguish a fire at Sherman Hills Apartments on Saturday. One person was injured. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Sherman-Hills.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wilkes-Barre firefighters extinguish a fire at Sherman Hills Apartments on Saturday. One person was injured. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Kevin Carroll</p><p>kcarroll@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Guest helps evacuate Sherman Hills residents as fire breaks out