East Orange House Fire Claims Man’s Life, 2 Escape Blaze: ECPO

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Although two people were able to escape a house fire in East Orange on Tuesday, the blaze claimed the life of a 53-year-old man, authorities said.

The fatal fire took place around 4 p.m. at a 2.5-story, wood frame home on Wayne Avenue, according to a joint statement from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the East Orange Public Safety Department.

Three people were in the house at the time of the fire. Two were able to escape. However, David C. Swiney of East Orange had to be removed from the building by firefighters, prosecutors said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, prosecutors stated.

“The investigation is active and ongoing, but the preliminary indication is that the fire was started accidentally,” prosecutors said Wednesday.

JeffStangFireVideos posted the below footage taken at the scene.

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