A large fire left five homes in New Jersey damaged after footage from above showed massive flames shooting from the tops of buildings, threatening to spread to the rest of the residential neighborhood.
The fire broke out at a home on Montgomery Street on the Newark-Irvington line just before 5 p.m. Tuesday, according to Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Frage. The Newark Fire Division and Irvington Fire Department responded to the blaze, which spread four other nearby homes shortly after.
When firefighters first arrived, they said there was initially trouble getting water from the hydrant to douse the flames. One hose was extended about a quarter of a mile in order to reach a hydrant that would work.
"For them to have to take fire hoses all the way to Springfield Avenue, for me to walk past three firefighters with hoses on their damn shoulders, it’s unacceptable," said community activist Donna Jackson, who noted that lower water pressure in the area is something the city has known about for years.
"We still have a list of over 700 fire hydrants out of the 1,000 that we have in the city that haven’t been replaced. How?" Jackson said. "Where’s the mayor at? You need to come check on these people and find out why there's not water here."
The fire was under control just before 7 p.m., around two hours after flames first erupted.
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One man was injured and taken to University Hospital for treatment, but the extent of his injuries was not clear. No other injuries were reported.
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Nine families, including 26 adults and four children, would have to be relocated as a result of the fire, according to Frage.
Officials were investigating what may have sparked the flames.
