Seven Jersey City FireFighters Injured After Early Morning Fire Took Place
JC IN THE NEWS
A fire broke out overnight in Jersey City left seven firefighters injured and forced multiple residents from their homes after part of a building collapsed.
The blaze broke out around 1:30 a.m. Thursday at 319 Fourth and Monmouth streets, where fire crews arrived within three minutes to find two buildings fully engulfed in flames.
Jersey City fire officials say a fast-moving blaze that tore through two vacant buildings early Thursday morning left six firefighters injured and displaced several nearby residents.
Seven firefighters and one Captain were transported to Jersey City Medical Center for minor injuries, including smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion.
“Local residents reported possible trespassers staying within the vacant building at the time of the fire,” according to an email sent over to JC IN THE NEWS by Kimberely Wallace-Scalcione, the mayor’s spokesperson.
“As a result of JCDF’S swift and commendable work, the occupied neighboring residential buildings sustained only exterior damage, limited to the walls just feet away from the burning buildings.”
Fire Chief Jack Johnson told media outlets that crews arrived at the site of the incident just minutes after the 1:30 a.m. call to find both structures fully engulfed, with flames on every floor. “Right now we have six firefighters being treated for minor injuries,” he said, including smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion.
The video footage above was provided by Councilman-at-large Daniel Rivera to JC IN THE NEWS.
“There was a lot of chaos in the area, but thankfully residents were not harmed,” said Councilman-at-large Daniel Rivera on a phone with JC IN THE NEWS, who was at the site of the incident early morning.
The buildings were boarded up and unoccupied at the time.
Six firefighters suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion. No civilian injuries were reported.
“Some sort of fire happening in Jersey City right now😢,” tweeted out one resident at 1:36 a.m.
The fire was escalated to a third alarm as crews worked to prevent it from spreading. One adjacent building sustained minor damage, but residents are expected to return in the coming days.
"Especially in times like this, in the summer, heat exhaustion, smoke inhalation. The conditions, we had fire in both sides of the exposures. My men and women face a lot out there and we're just here to make sure they're OK," said John Collins, president of the Jersey City Firefighters Union Local 1066, to CBS News.
The Red Cross is assisting six people displaced from neighboring properties, including two families.
As of Thursday morning, firefighters were still extinguishing hot spots on the lower floors and had begun dismantling parts of the structure to assess the full extent of the damage. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Correction made: Earlier report stated six firefighters, has been amended to “Seven firefighters and one Captain.”