JERSEY CITY, NJ – A devastating fire erupted overnight in a Jersey City apartment building, leaving one man dead and a woman and her two young children fighting for their lives. The blaze, believed to have started in the kitchen of a second-floor apartment, quickly spread, triggering a frantic rescue effort by firefighters.
The alarm was raised around 3 a.m. when residents awoke to the smell of smoke and cries for help. “I heard someone shouting ‘help’ in the early hours,” said a resident who managed to escape, speaking on condition of anonymity. He credited his survival to waking up in time to warn his roommates.
Firefighters arrived swiftly, battling thick smoke and intense flames to reach those trapped on the second and third floors. Despite their rapid response, a man in his 40s succumbed to the fire, while a woman in her 40s and two girls under the age of ten remain in critical condition.
The scene was chaotic as neighbors witnessed the terrifying events unfold. “It was heart-wrenching to see,” one neighbor recounted, describing the moment when emergency services arrived, and residents used fire ladders to escape the inferno.
The fire’s cause is under investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Unit. Preliminary findings suggest it originated in the kitchen, but further details are pending.
In the wake of the tragedy, 18 residents have been displaced and are receiving assistance from emergency management and the Red Cross. Those affected are being relocated temporarily, with some receiving financial aid for short-term accommodations.
The injured woman and her children were transported to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center’s burn unit in Livingston, where they are receiving specialized care for their injuries. The community is rallying around the survivors, hoping for their recovery.
Residents and local authorities are working together to support those affected by the fire. “We’re trying to figure out what we can do to help,” said another resident, expressing the collective concern and willingness to assist.
As the investigation continues, the community remains on edge, grappling with the aftermath of the fire and the uncertainty of what comes next for those who have lost their homes.