Michelle Charlesworth reports on the death of a woman in a fire in Elmwood Park
Eyewitness News
Wednesday, September 07, 2016 12:37PM
ELMWOOD PARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- One person died in a fire that burned through a multifamily Elmwood Park home late Tuesday.
The blaze broke out inside the house on Miller Avenue just after 11:30 p.m.
Responding officers discovered the house fully engulfed in flames, and thick heavy smoke emanating from the building. They attempted to force entry into the residence, but they were held back by the intense heat and smoke. The roof of the home caved in, forcing firefighters to battle the blaze from outside.
The fire was placed under control in about a half hour, and during the course of fighting the fire, the body of an individual was found in a second-floor bedroom adjacent to the kitchen. The victim, who was deceased and not been positively identified, was located on the floor next to the bed.
The building owner, a 90-year-old woman who lives on the first floor, was located at a neighbor's house. She reported being awoken by the sound of smoke alarms, and after observing heavy smoke in the common hallway, she immediately evacuated herself for her safety.
The woman who died was taken to the Bergen County Medical Examiner's office for further investigation and identification purposes. Though she has not been officially identified, she is believed to be a 36-year-old mother of two who lives in the apartment. Neighbors say her parents had picked up the children earlier in the day.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials say preliminary evidence points towards the origin being possibly in the kitchen and possibly due to an electrical appliance.
No emergency responders were injured during the incident