Jersey City fire leaves 1 dead, 3 seriously hurt, including 2 children, prosecutors say
One person was killed in a fire early Thursday morning in Jersey City, and three other people, including two children, were seriously injured, the Hudson County prosecutor's office says.
The fire started around 3:40 a.m. at a three-story building on Summit Avenue. The building houses a laundromat on the ground floor and two floors of apartments, with a total of six units. Eighteen residents have been displaced - their apartments are unlivable, for now.
Law enforcement sources tell CBS News New York a father was killed, and a mother and two children were rushed to the hospital in serious condition. One of the children was taken to the Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center's burn unit.
"All of them are in very serious condition. They were transported to the medical center. They seemed to be one family," Jersey City Emergency Management Director Greg Kierce said. "All of them were removed and did have burns and smoke inhalation."
Three firefighters were also hurt, but Jersey City officials said their injuries are not serious, and include some minor burns and smoke inhalation.
Video from across the street shows flames shooting out of a second floor unit in the building. When firefighters arrived, four people were trapped inside the apartment, authorities said.
"We'll be praying for you guys. We're really sorry this happened," one neighbor said.
The units on the second floor in the back of the building appeared to have the most damage. Some of the siding came off, exposing the inside of the building, and several windows were broken.
The owners of the laundromat arrived on the scene later in the morning and could be seen speaking to first responders. Customers say they bought and renovated the business a few years ago.
"The people that work there, love them to death. I feel so bad that this happened to them," one customer said. "They just became the owners, and they fixed that laundromat up, they renovated it."
The Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force and the Jersey City Fire Department are now investigating what caused the fire. At this point, it does not appear to be suspicious.
