Piscataway Fire Tears Through 17 Apartments Sunday Night

PISCATAWAY, NJ — A fast-moving fire tore through 17 apartment units at the Birch Glen apartment complex Sunday night in Piscataway, according to Piscataway Township spokesman Gene Wilk.

The fire started Sunday night on the 120 block of Forest Drive in Piscataway, in the Birch Glen apartment complex.

As of Tuesday morning, officials have still not said what started the fire. The Piscataway Fire Prevention office is still investigating its cause.

But the fire spread to 17 apartments and an additional four more had to temporarily have their power turned off.

Piscataway Twp. said many of the residents have since "fled" the area, and are staying with family or friends. But the town is working with the American Red Cross to house those who are now homeless due to the fire.

Birch Glen Apartments families displaced from the fire should go to the Piscataway Senior Center, 700 Buena Vista Avenue, where the American Red Cross New Jersey Region will have staff available to help.

Families whose apartments were damaged are asked to contact the Piscataway Office of Emergency Management (OEM) at (732) 921-1908. Other residents are asked to please not call this phone number so the line remains open for affected families.

Volunteer firefighters from many surrounding towns came in Sunday night to help extinguish the blaze, including Somerset, South Plainfield, Metuchen and Colonia.