Newark Fire Leaves 24 People Without A Home; 2 Firefighters Injured

NEWARK, NJ — A two-alarm fire in Newark left two dozen people without a home on Monday evening. Firefighters encountered several hazards while battling the blaze, including a collapsed staircase and heat exhaustion, authorities said.

Newark firefighters responded to 76 Barbara Street at 8:10 p.m. after getting a call about a fire in the basement of a three-story residential building. Safety officials called a second alarm to stop the spread of the flames to a nearby building at 74 Barbara Street.

The fire was placed under control at 8:55 p.m. A total of 24 residents, including 19 adults and five children, were relocated due to the damage, authorities said.

The Newark Department of Public Safety’s arson unit is investigating the cause and origin of the fire.

Authorities said multiple members of the crew had to be treated for injuries or heat exhaustion:

“Two firefighters were transported to University Hospital for treatment after one suffered from cuts on his arm, and the other suffered a leg and ankle injury when a staircase collapsed. Both firefighters are reportedly in stable condition. Two other firefighters were treated at the scene by EMS for heat exhaustion and remained on duty.

No other injuries were reported, officials said.

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