Twenty-Six Left Homeless In Jersey City 5-Alarm Fire
New Jersey - Five alarms were required to contain a fire that swept through a row of homes in Jersey City on Mothers Day. Shortly before noon, a full assignment was sent to 272 St. Pauls Avenue. First due units arrived to find a two-story frame pushing heavy smoke and flames extending to the exposure buildings on both sides.
A second-alarm was immediately called and additional EMS units were requested for multiple burn victims. A third-alarm soon followed as flames spread in the rear of the structure to the fourth home.
One woman was rescued through a basement window as flames blocked any other means of escape. Firefighters even safely removed two cages of gerbils from one of the homes.
Additional alarms were transmitted as companies went defensive to knock down the heavy fire in the deep seated in the buildings. It took over three hours to place the fire under control.
The fire destroyed two homes and caused significant damage to two more. Five residents and two firefighters were transported to the hospital. None of the injuries were reported to be life threatening.
Twenty-six residents from the four dwellings were left homeless.
The cause is under investigation, but initially appears to be electrical.
Written and photos by Bill Tompkins
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