A wind-whipped fire tore through several homes on President Street in East Newark on September 23, sending smoke billowing into the air and leaving at least one person injured. The blaze broke out shortly before midday and quickly spread from house to house as gusts pushed flames along the block.
According to hudsontv.com, the fire began at approximately 11:15 a.m. on President Street, and five homes were either damaged or totally destroyed. NBC New York reported that multiple homes were damaged after a fire broke out in East Newark.
Other outlets offered a broader estimate of the damage. ABC7 New York described it as a four-alarm fire that impacted at least five buildings and potentially six, reporting that it broke out at 40 President Street a little before noon. The discrepancy between the five-home and five-to-six-building counts has not been resolved in reporting so far.
One Person Hospitalized as Flames Spread House to House
At least one person was hurt in the blaze. Hudson Valley's News 12 reported simply that one person was injured, while ABC7 New York reported that at least one person was taken to the hospital with possible burn injuries. The extent of that person's injuries has not been independently verified beyond those accounts.
Wind played a central role in how quickly the fire moved between structures. Per hudsontv.com, winds at the time of the fire caused the flames to spread to neighboring residences. News 12 put a number on those conditions, reporting that wind was blowing at about 16 mph at the time and may have contributed to the flames spreading to neighboring homes.
Nine Departments Answer the Call for Mutual Aid
The scale of the response reflected how fast the fire grew. Mutual aid was provided by fire departments from Jersey City, Newark, Harrison, Kearny, Secaucus, Bayonne, Hoboken, North Arlington and North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue, according to hudsontv.com's reporting on the multi-jurisdictional response.
As for what sparked the blaze, neighbors offered their own theory even as the official investigation continued. Neighbors told hudsontv.com that the multiple-alarm blaze began when a motorcycle exploded inside a garage while it was being repaired, though that account has not been confirmed by officials. The outlet reported that the official cause of the blaze is under investigation by the New Jersey State Fire Marshal, and ABC7 New York similarly reported that the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
