Fire Rips Through Newark Homes, Leaves Dozens Homeless
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- More than 40 people have been displaced after a massive fire burned through several homes in Newark overnight.
Two homes were destroyed and two others were severely damaged when the multialarm blaze roared through the Ironbound neighborhood Saturday night.
No injuries were reported in the four-alarm fire, which broke out shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday at a home in the 200 block of Lafayette Street and quickly spread to the other homes. It took firefighters about two hours to bring the massive blaze under control.
Fire Rips Through Newark Homes, Leaves Dozens Homeless
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Red Cross spokeswoman Diane Kincannon told WCBS 880's Jim Smith that volunteers were able to get the victims out of the cold.
"We had about 33 people in the reception center, but many were able to stay with friends or family members," she said.
Kincannon said a full shelter was not needed, but added that two families -- about 10 people -- utilized temporary housing.
Some residents returning to the scene Sunday were too upset to talk, only staring at the burned-out buildings and blown-out windows.
Witness Kyle Dasilva told 1010 WINS on Saturday night that about two to three houses caught on fire and he saw an abundance of firefighters on the scene.
"All you could see was a huge cloud of smoke, and once you got closer, you could just see flames everywhere," he added. "As soon as you got close to it, you could feel it."
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
