Explosion at Woodbridge Sleepover Party: At Least 13 Hurt

An explosion ripped through a house in New Jersey on Saturday as a family was having a sleepover party, according to authorities and media reports. At least 13 people were hurt, including 7 children. A 10-year-old child who was celebrating his birthday reportedly helped rescue several people, one with their hair on fire.

Two people were critically injured in the fire as the home at 121 Vernon Way in the Port Reading section of Woodbridge was engulfed in flames by 10 a.m., according to authorities. The people in the house ranged in age from 2 to 60, and NBC4 said some of them slept over after a family party. Some wore pajamas as they fled the scene.

The two critically burned patients were transported to a nearby baseball field where they were flown via helicopter to nearby hospitals. The fire was contained to one home with two other homes that sustained heat damage, according to the Port Reading Fire Department.

A GoFundMe page was set up for the family with this inscription:

"On Saturday morning my family witnessed one of the most devastating experiences. After celebrating my son's 10th birthday, a family home went through a devastating explosion and fire and was completely destroyed.

"Some of our family members have lost everything- important papers, clothes, food -All of our possessions including many of our Late Grandmother, Patricia Baker who passed in December were lost in the fire. However we were blessed to escape the fire with the clothes we were wearing.

"We are all so grateful and feel so blessed that everyone got out alive. We want to say thank you in advance for anything that you can contribute to help our family get back on their feet in this trying time. We thank you for your kind words, thoughts and prayers as we get through this. - The Baker Family."

At this time, there is no known cause. The fire is currently under investigation, fire officials said. Witnesses spoke to the media and provided details, saying one person's hair was set on fire.

"It came from the basement, the first thing that went is the boiler blew through the floor," Marcos Mercado, 23, told NBC4. "It was a big hole in the floor right next to my niece and her hair was on fire. She put it out while she was running out the house."

Mercado said two of his uncles were flown to the hospital, according to report; police said they had severe burns. Neighbors described hearing a loud boom and seeing the house immediately engulfed in flames.

One uncle, Jim Baker, was in the basement when the explosion went off, suffering severe burns, according to PIX11. He was airlifted to Saint Barnabas Hospital in Livingston while another uncle, Lawton Reed, was found on fire; Reed was airlifted to RWJ University Hospital New Brunswick.

Relatives and friends were staying over to celebrate Daniel Davis' 10th birthday. When he woke up to the blaze, Daniel reacted by getting his younger brothers and cousin out of the house, according to PIX11.

"When the explosion happened we were all asleep. We just felt fire. And my nieces hair was on fire. My uncle came from the basement on fire. His head was flames. And my brother put him out," Andre Baker told PIX11.

Firefighters were called to the 100 block of Vernon Way on reports of a fire with possible trapped and injured occupants, according to RLS Media. Upon arrival, firefighters observed flames shooting from the windows of a wood framed residential home; crews were able to bring the fire under control shortly before noon.

Neighbors rushed over as adults and teens ran from the burning home – some in their pajamas, CBS2’s Dave Carlin reported. “Just flames, it was just totally engulfed in a matter of seconds,” resident Al Audinis said.

Some of the victims said that, before the blast, there was a smell of gas, according to the report. “They said they had been smelling gas in their home. So I think it’s important that if you can smell something, definitely say something. Otherwise something like this could happen,” resident Jason Peake said.

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