Husband Dies Trying To Fight Wayne Fire Sunday [video]

A man died after he ran back into his Wayne house to try and save it during a fire Sunday morning, officials said. The man's dog died as well.

The house fire broke out in Wayne around 8 a.m. on Sunday morning, fire officials said, originating in the basement of a Riverlawn Drive house, said Fire Commissioner John Wozinak.

Firefighters tried to get into the wood-frame house and broke open a hole in the rear entrance. They were unable to proceed forward, however, because of the dangerous conditions inside the house, Wozinak said.

The man, whose name was not released, reportedly went back into the house and his dog followed him in, the commissioner said. The man died in the basement and the dog died on the second floor, Wozinak said.

It is unknown if the wife suffered any injuries, Wozinak said. Her name was not released either.

The wood-frame house, which is in a flood zone, was built up on seven or eight feet of cinderblocks. This made the basement "like an oven" and may have intensified the blaze, causing it to spread more quickly, Wozinak said. The fire was contained at about 10 a.m.

Personnel from the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office and the Sheriff's Office are investigating the fire. The Passaic County Medical Examiner's Office is investigating the husband's cause of death.

All five Wayne fire companies responded to the blaze. Companies 1 and 2 were the first on scene, followed by 5, 3 and 4.

Wayne Police did not have any information on the fire Sunday afternoon.

Additional reporting by Daniel Hubbard

Patch file photo