Cop Hospitalized After Atlantic City Boarding House Fire: Report

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — An Atlantic City police officer was hospitalized due to smoke inhalation after rescuing a resident from a house fire, according to a report.

One of the residents of the 18-person boarding house also was hospitalized for the same reason after the Friday morning two-alarm fire, NJ Advance Media reported.

The fire started around 8 a.m. at the North Pennsylvania Avenue home, according to the report. Only 15 of the 18 residents were home at the time.

Firefighters arrived to see heavy smoke billowing out a fourth-story window, the report said.

The officer, identified in the report as Sgt. John Waddell, was helping a resident out of the house when he suffered smoke inhalation, along with a tenant, according to the report. Both were taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City.

The fire was under control in about an hour, and the cause is under investigation, according to the report.

Waddell's shift was over at the time, according to the report, but he decided to help the firefighters as he was nearby.