NEWARK, NJ – A house fire late Saturday night claimed the lives of two young girls in Newark, leaving the community reeling. The blaze occurred on Eckert Avenue and was reported just after midnight. Responding firefighters found the victims, a 6-year-old and an 8-year-old, severely burned and unresponsive. Despite first responders’ efforts to revive them, the girls were tragically pronounced dead at the scene.
Video footage from the incident shows emergency crews carrying a stretcher away from the residence. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was present, providing support to firefighters, including one visibly distressed by the tragic loss.
The fire broke out while the family was holding a birthday celebration indoors. Authorities indicate the girls had been playing with fire near a couch in a hallway, leading to the devastating blaze. Neighbor Dalisa Anthony expressed her past concerns about overcrowding in the two-story home, having attempted to report these to city officials, albeit unsuccessfully.
A distraught woman believed to be the mother of one or possibly both victims returned to the scene in search of her children amid the chaos. Neighbors, including Shonda Simpson, voiced their sorrow over losing two young lives so prematurely. Another neighbor who lives next door recounted her efforts to aid the victims, describing the heartbreaking scene as “painful” and “shocking.”
The impact was felt deeply within the local education community, as Superintendent Roger León of Newark Public Schools confirmed the girls were students within the district. León expressed profound heartbreak and extended condolences to the grieving families, assuring that counseling services would be available for affected students and staff.
The Red Cross is currently aiding over a dozen people who were displaced by the fire, with plans to support additional families impacted by this tragedy. As investigations continue, the cause of the fire has yet to be determined.