Over a dozen displaced as fire spreads to 2 homes in Jersey City
JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- A house fire in Jersey City injured a firefighter and displaced over a dozen people Saturday.
Fire officials say it started at 217 Nunda Ave., then spread next door to 215. Both homes had so much damage, the city says they are uninhabitable.
Between both buildings, 13 people have been displaced, including at least four children.
With temperatures well below freezing, they will be staying at a hotel temporarily. The Jersey City Office of Emergency Management and the Red Cross are assisting in that effort.
While all residents were able to escape unscathed, one firefighter suffered burns to his hand and face.
Resident Christhian Lopez says he got a call from his wife saying their house was on fire. He rushed back from work in Brooklyn Heights to find out his home was the second to go up in flames.
"I'm overwhelmed. I don't know where I am right now. It looks like a dream or something, or a nightmare. I don't feel myself right now. But I'm glad that everybody got out from the fire," Lopez said.
Witnesses say they saw fire officials take a lithium-ion battery out of the house, but the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.
