The three-alarm fire broke out at a former illegal boarding house that was condemned last year.
NEWARK -- Squatters were seen jumping from the windows of an abandoned building that caught fire early Monday morning, according to authorities at the scene of the blaze.
The three-alarm fire broke out at around 6 a.m. in a multi-family home at 51 Cypress Avenue, Newark Department of Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.
"When the first fire apparatus pulled up, they saw people jumping out the windows," Ambrose said. Those people, who authorities said were likely squatters in the abandoned building, did not stay at the scene to speak with investigators, Ambrose said.
About 100 Newark firefighters responded to the blaze, which was put under control by about 7 a.m., though it continued to smolder after that, authorities said. No firefighters were injured, officials said.
Authorities said they did not believe that there was anyone still in the building, but firefighters were continuing to search the structure. The building appeared to be completely destroyed by the blaze, and officials said it was structurally unsound.
Officials said they will request the remains of the structure be demolished.
The cause and point of origin of the fire remain unclear.
The building previously operated as an illegal boarding house, and was shut down in 2015 after state Sen. Richard Codey, Mayor Ras Baraka, police officers and a team of health, fire, and code enforcement officials made a surprise visit to the building. Ten people were displaced from the rooming house, which was found to have no heat, no water, and no working toilets.
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