Rescuers Pull Victims From North Jersey Home; 5 Hospitalized After Explosion

WEST MILFORD, NJ — Officials are still investigating the cause of a explosion in Passaic County that sent five people to the hospital, and first responders described a lengthy rescue operation to get them out of the rubble of a home.

A total of six people were inside the Banker Road home when the blast was reported around 9 p.m. Friday, officials said. West Milford police said they received multiple 911 calls about a possible home explosion on Banker Road near Upper Greenwood Lake. When officers arrived, they confirmed a home had sustained heavy damage in an explosion, said police.

West Milford Deputy Fire Chief Rich Poplaski said the structure collapsed "from an unknown cause," according to NorthJersey.com.

He asked residents to avoid the area, the report said.

The first responders on scene were three West Milford officers and three EMTs, according to the West Milford First Aid Squad. They were informed six people were possible trapped, and freed three people before fire departments began arriving to stabilize the collapsed house.

Upper Greenwood Lake Volunteer Fire Company 5 and other local companies began "tunneling rescue operations" to find one of the victims trapped in the rear of the home. Urban search and rescue units were among the extra support requested for the operation, to reach the remaining people inside.

"After a prolonged rescue operations involving West Milford, Paterson, Morristown, Hackensack, Newark, Hoboken and Millburn FD all victims were removed to EMS and transported to the hospital," said Fire Company 5 in a social media post.

Five of the injured people were taken to nearby hospitals by helicopter, police said (the First Aid Squad reported four taken by helicopter, and one by ambulance). A sixth person refused medical attention, according to authorities. Officials did not provide an update on the victims' conditions as of 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation by West Milford detectives and state and city fire marshal’s offices. Other agencies assisting West Milford PD included Vernon Police and Fire, Warwick Fire, the Passaic County Sheriff's Office, the Urban Areas Security Initiative (U.A.S.I.), New Jersey State Police, and the Orange & Rockland utility company, per police.

West Milford Mayor Michele Dale asked the community to say a prayer for the victims, and to take time to thank the township's first responders.

"We have the very best and we are very grateful for all they do," she said.