Fifteen Families Displaced After East Newark Blaze

A rapidly spreading fire gutted multiple residencies in three story row homes in East Newark on September 23^rd.

At about 11:30 AM, a large column of black smoke rose over East Newark. Heavy fire in a attached row home was showing from the first floor garage and up to the second and third floor residences at 40 President Street as fire units arrived. A brisk wind was pushing the flames to the exposures. Additional alarms were transmitted as fire units from across Hudson County as well as Essex and Bergen responded in. Flames broke through the roof and spread to the similar exposures on both sides. The main fire building was in the middle of the block and fears were the fire could travel the entire block of the attached frames. Crews were pulled out of the exposure buildings.

Heavy water and venting were able to halt the spread and the intensity of the fire and the heavy smoke slowly lessened. Companies continued defensive operations in the three middle fire buildings and stayed offensive on the B2 and D2 buildings. The fire was declared under control shortly before 2:00. One serious burn injury was reported. Initial reports state the cause could be a person working on a motorcycle in a garage when the motorcycle exploded. The man working on the motorcycle was the person that suffered the burn injury.

The fire escalated to four alarms. At least fifteen families were reported by the Red Cross to have been displaced. Six buildings were damaged or destroyed. Departments working at the scene were Harrison, Kearny, Jersey City, Newark, North Hudson, Bayonne, Hoboken, Secaucus, and North Arlington.