Firefighters raced to a burning apartment building on Riverside Court in Newark Wednesday night and rescued two women from the housing units, both of whom were left in critical condition. The fire tore through three apartment units before crews could stop its spread, prompting a second-alarm response.
According to rlsmedia.com, firefighters were dispatched to 93 Riverside Court at approximately 10:07 p.m. on October 28. Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda reported that firefighters were called just after 10 p.m., per the seed reporting from News12 New Jersey.
Flames Jump to Neighboring Buildings
What started as a fire in one building quickly became a bigger problem. As flames spread to adjacent buildings at 94 and 95 Riverside Court, fire officials called for a second alarm, the outlet's report notes, bringing additional personnel and equipment to the scene.
Firefighters rescued two women who suffered injuries in the fire, pulling them from the housing units as the flames spread. Both were evaluated by emergency medical personnel before being transported to area hospitals for treatment, according to the same account. Miranda told News12 that both women were listed in critical condition.
Fire Contained in Under an Hour
Despite the fire's rapid spread across three buildings, Newark first responders managed to keep it from growing any further and brought the blaze under control in less than an hour. Firefighters brought the blaze under control at approximately 10:47 p.m., about 40 minutes after the initial response, the rlsmedia.com report states.
The Newark Department of Public Safety's Arson Unit is investigating the cause and origin of the fire. Authorities have not released additional details about the victims or what may have sparked the blaze, leaving residents along Riverside Court waiting for answers about what triggered the overnight emergency.
