Fire leaves dozens of senior citizens homeless in Newark
NEWARK, N.J. - A fire in Newark Saturday left more than 80 people - mostly senior citizens - homeless just days before Thanksgiving.
The fire took place at a senior citizen building on Franklin Avenue in Newark. It displaced 87 residents.
"I know I can't go back in"
"Because I already have a heart condition," an emotional Geraldine Jefferson said. "Sorry, it's just I am really stressed right now with all this."
Newark officials said the cause was a transformer fire. The fire traveled to four units in the building, which is part of the housing authority.
"When they came banging on the doors to evacuate the building, all of that was engulfed in flames," resident Helena Polite said.
"In my apartment, there's a lot of black soot. The carbon monoxide detector was going off. I know I can't go back in," Jefferson said.
City officials said many residents have made private arrangements, but Polite, who lives in the building, boarded a housing authority bus Monday to head to a shelter set up at a recreation center. She says it's not where she wants to be.
"I am 70, and I have knee problems, back problems. I can get down on the cot, but I can't get up," she said.
"Working around the clock"
City officials said PSE&G has been making repairs, but they haven't determined a cause. Community activist Donna Jackson claims PSE&G is responsible, and should get hotel rooms for displaced residents.
"They hook up two generators to the building Saturday before 5 p.m. The generators explode," Jackson said.
"OEM converts buildings that we have into temporary shelter for people. We provide them with food and everything else while they are there," Mayor Ras J. Baraka said. "The housing authority, PSE&G and all the folks that are involved are working around the clock to get that back online for them."
A spokesperson for PSE&G says they're looking into the matter.
