Crime & Safety
Raging West Orange House Fire Displaces 10 People (VIDEO)
West Orange firefighters put out a house fire with aid from their peers in Orange, South Orange and Maplewood.

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A West Orange fire captain was treated for smoke inhalation after a raging fire took place at a building on Riggs Place last weekend. The blaze displaced about 10 residents, authorities said.
According to a statement from a township spokesperson, West Orange firefighters responded to structure fire at 80 Riggs Place around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16. Emergency responders encountered “heavy fire” coming from the building on arrival.
The residents of the home were all accounted for and waiting on the lawn and porch across the street when firefighters arrived. None were injured, authorities said.
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With the aid of units from Orange, South Orange and Maplewood, West Orange firefighters put out the flames. Fire crews from Bloomfield, Belleville and East Orange covered the township during the incident, authorities said.
A West Orange fire captain suffered smoke inhalation during the blaze and was transported to Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston. He was evaluated and released soon afterwards, authorities stated.
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West Orange officials stated:
“The building sustained significant damage and all utilities were shut off. Exposure protection was a high operational priority at this scene and no fire damage to the exposure buildings was noted at the conclusion.”
Fire officials are investigating to determine the origin and cause of the blaze.
Local videographer Jeff Stang posted the below footage of the fire.
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Photo: YouTube / JeffStang Fire Photography
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