The fire started in a three-story duplex on Mount Prospect Avenue and also damaged four other buildings, authorities said. Watch video
A Labor Day fire on Mount Prospect Avenue in Newark severely damaged three residential buildings, officials said. (Courtesy of Newark Public Safety)NEWARK -- A four-alarm fire on the 800 block of Mt. Prospect Avenue has left more than 50 people homeless and three buildings temporarily uninhabitable, authorities said.
At least 36 adults and 16 children were being relocated to relatives' homes or city shelters after the blaze that started in a three-story duplex and also damaged four other buildings, said Fire Chief John Centanni.
He said no residents were injured, but one fire captain suffered a knee injury in the fire that started at about 12:30 p.m. and was under control by 1:45 p.m.
Officials have not determined the cause of the flames and said crews were still working the scene around 2:45 p.m. An investigation is ongoing.
The American Red Cross provided eight displaced families with temporary housing, food, clothing and personal care items.
The fire had already hit two buildings when crews arrived, Centanni said. Four of the five affected structures were completely residential, and one was mixed-use commercial and residential.
Natalie Horton, who witnessed the blaze, said she and her neighbor jumped in the car when they heard firetrucks whizzing by on their street several blocks away.
"I looked out the window, and it was not normal for that many firetrucks," Horton said. "You could see the smoke from where I was."
She said there were about a dozen firetrucks at the scene.
Video is courtesy of Natalie Horton.
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