N.J. Fire Guts Apartment Building
The blaze broke out around noon in Newark. Eyewitness News reporter Jeff Pegues is live with more.
It's amazing how fast life can change--and it changed in an instant for about eight families here today. First there was a fire, and now, because of that fire, their homes will be demolished.
It's all gone now; most of what these residents owned has been reduced to charred rubble.
Alva Cruz, victim's relative: "He had everything in there, you know--his house, his furniture I guess; it's heartbreaking."
The fire started about midday. Firefighters say it started in a club. People working in the basement of the club smelled the smoke. The fire spread, and firefighters moved in.
Chief Joe DeMasi, Newark Fire Department: "The alarm came in at 12:00, when I got on the scene I saw heavy fire conditions."
The flames engulfed the top floors of the two buildings; there were four apartments. Juan Cruz's father and mother were in one of them--his 48-year-old father was injured getting out.
uan Cruz, victim's relative: "He was in the back when the fire started."
His father suffered minor injuries. The fire is under investigation; the arson squad is involved, but we are told by the fire chief that that's just routine, for a fire of this size.