A family of five, including three children and two adults, is dead after a fire tore through their home overnight in Paterson, New Jersey, the mayor said.
Strong winds fueled the flames on Emerson Avenue as firefighters also battled frigid temperatures to get the blaze under control, officials said Saturday.
Family of 5 dead, mayor says
The children killed were 14, 12 and 7 years old, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office said. Two adults, a 39-year-old male and 38-year-old female, were also pronounced dead at the scene, investigators said.
They were a family, according to Mayor Andre Sayegh.
“This tragedy really hurts my heart considering that there are five fatalities, but you don’t view it that way. They’re not numbers. It’s a father, mother, and three children. It was a family of five, unfortunately, no longer with us,” Sayegh said.
Paterson’s fire chief said crews were on the scene for hours after the house started burning just before 10 p.m. Friday.
“It was a fast-moving fire due to the wind conditions, which contributed to the rapid spread to the upper floors where the victims were found,” Chief Alex Alicea said.
The rear of the home was completely charred by the morning.
“Really good people”
Neighbors were devastated after learning about the fatal fire.
“Very good people. Really, really good people, friendly. Every time I drive by, they would always wave. If they were outside, they would see my car, I would beep the horn and I would wave to them … and then to hear about this, it’s unbelievable,” John Miller, a neighbor, said.
The fire chief said it could take time to fully identify the victims.
The American Red Cross said it was helping seven people displaced by the fire by providing temporary housing, food, clothing and other emergency supplies.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
