West Orange House Fire: Woman Pulled From Flames, But Later Dies

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Update, 5:36 p.m.: The woman who was pulled from her burning home Sunday in West Orange has now died at a hospital, according to a spokesman for West Orange Township.

"There is a tragic update to the early morning fire that occurred today on Valley Way in West Orange: The female patient that was rescued from the second floor of the house and transported to St. Barnabas Medical Center by the West Orange Fire Department has subsequently passed away," said town spokesman Joseph Fagan. "It has also been learned that a family pet perished in the fire."

Authorities have not released her name or age. The Essex County Prosecutor has now taken over this investigation.

This was a predawn house fire that occurred in a quiet West Orange residential neighborhood.

Early Sunday morning firefighters pulled the woman, unconscious, from her burning home. She and the homeowner, a man, both had to be hospitalized, and she was last reported in critical condition in the St. Barnabas Burn Unit, according to Joseph Fagan, the town's public information officer.

The fire broke out at 4:27 a.m. at a home on Valley Way: When firefighters got there, they were met with heavy fire in the basement and first floor. The man was able to get out, but told firefighters a woman was trapped on the second floor. Firefighters rescued the woman, who was unresponsive and without a pulse when they pulled her from the burning building.

She was given CPR while being rushed to St. Barnabas Medical Center, and regained a pulse because of those CPR efforts, said Fagan.

The man was surrounded by neighbors who gave him warm clothing while he watched the firefighting efforts, but then he also had to be admitted to St. Barnabas after showing signs of smoke inhalation.

The fire was "stubborn" and firefighters were not able to get it under control until approximately 6:30 a.m., said Fagan.

What caused the fire remains under investigation, but it is not suspicious.

There were no reports of firefighter injuries other than an early slip and fall on the ice that did not require treatment. The home has been declared uninhabitable.

From All County News, here is video from the Valley Way house fire: