3-Year-Old Boy, Grandmother Killed In East Orange High-Rise Fire
EAST ORANGE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Authorities are investigating a fatal fire at a high-rise in East Orange that left two people dead, including a 3-year-old boy.
The three-alarm fire broke out on the 7th floor of a building on Munn Avenue around 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
WCBS 880's Sean Adams reports
Podcast
When firefighters arrived, they found a 55-year-old woman dead. Her 3-year-old grandson, who was staying with his grandmother, was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Neighbors said the woman tried to save her young grandson.
"She wanted to throw him out the window at one point. She was about to throw him out the window, but she couldn't," said Vanisha Gregory. "By the time they brought him out, his face was covered in soot. They worked on him for a while, but by the time they got to her, she was dead."
1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck reports
Podcast
Phylicia Jackson knows the family and said the boy's mother had been out for the evening.
"It's hard when you go through it with your children and then she doesn't have her mother to comfort her, that's her mother and her child," Jackson said. "The only thing I did, when I saw her running through screaming 'where's my baby, what's going on, what's going on,' I said 'just talk to the fire chief honey.' She just dropped her knees and dropped her stuff. It's just really sad this morning. It really is, so everyone should just pray for her."
Several others who were also pulled from the building suffered minor injuries. It took firefighters about 30 minutes to get the fire under control.
Most of the residents were allowed back into their homes late Sunday night or early Monday morning.
There's still no word on a cause.
Please share your thoughts below...
