An explosion ripped through a house in New Jersey on Saturday as a family was having a sleepover party, according to authorities and media reports. At least 13 people were hurt.
Two people were critically injured in the fire as the home on Vernon Way in the Port Reading section of Woodbridge was engulfed in flames by 10 a.m., according to NBC 4 New York. The people in the house ranged in age from 2 to 60, and NBC4 said some of them slept over after a family party. Some wore pajamas as they fled the scene.
"It came from the basement, the first thing that went is the boiler blew through the floor," Marcos Mercado, 23, told NBC4. "It was a big hole in the floor right next to my niece and her hair was on fire. She put it out while she was running out the house."
Mercado says two of his uncles were flown to the hospital, according to report; police said they had severe burns. Neighbors described hearing a loud boom and seeing the house immediately engulfed in flames.
One uncle, Jim Baker, was in the basement when the explosion went off, suffering severe burns, according to PIX11. He was airlifted to Saint Barnabas Hospital in Livingston while another uncle, Lawton Reed, was found on fire; Reed was airlifted to RWJ University Hospital New Brunswick.
Relatives and friends were staying over to celebrate Daniel Davis' 10th birthday. When he woke up to the blaze, he reacted by getting his younger brothers and cousin out of the house, according to PIX11
."When the explosion happened we were all asleep. We just felt fire. And my nieces hair was on fire. My uncle came from the basement on fire. His head was flames. And my brother put him out," Andre Baker told PIX11.
Firefighters were called to the 100 block of Vernon Way on reports of a fire with possible trapped and injured occupants, according to RLS Media. Upon arrival, firefighters observed flames shooting from the windows of a wood framed residential home; crews were able to bring the fire under control shortly before noon.
Neighbors rushed over as adults and teens ran from the burning home – some in their pajamas, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported. "Just flames, it was just totally engulfed in a matter of seconds," resident Al Audinis said.
Some of the victims said that, before the blast, there was a smell of gas, according to the report. "They said they had been smelling gas in their home. So I think it's important that if you can smell something, definitely say something. Otherwise something like this could happen," resident Jason Peake said.
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By Eyewitness News
Updated 19 mins ago
WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (WABC) -- Two people were seriously injured after a gas explosion and fire completely destroyed a New Jersey home Saturday morning.
Woodbridge Township residents said they heard a loud bang and saw flames shooting out of the home at 121 Vernon Way in Port Reading around 9:50 a.m. Some residents said they thought they smelled gas prior to the explosion.
When firefighters arrived on scene, the home was completely engulfed in flames. One neighbor said the entire bottom floor of the house was engulfed in a matter of seconds.
Two people were seriously injured and transported to St. Barnabas Hospital, officials said. There may be additional victims.
The cause of the explosion is most likely leaking gas. The gas explosion then caused the fire. An investigation is ongoing.
The property is onwed by
SINGH, TAJINDER
11138 MAYNARD PL
HOUSTON TX, 770641723
11138 MAYNARD PL
HOUSTON TX, 770641723
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WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP, New Jersey
An explosion that ripped through a house in Woodbridge Township had emergency responders on the scene Saturday morning.
According to preliminary reports, firefighters were called to the 100 block of Vernon Way for reports of a fire with possible trapped and injured occupants.
Upon arrival, firefighters observed flames shooting from the windows of a wood framed residential home at around 10 a.m.
The house ultimately exploded during the course of the fire reports said.
Two victims suffering serious burns were airlifted to the hospital where the extent of their injuries have not been released.
Crews were able to bring the fire under control shortly before noon.
The cause is under investigation.
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WOODBRIDGE, NJ -
Two people were severely burned and several others were injured after a home exploded and burst into flames Saturday morning.
Al Odenis tells News 12 that he was mowing his lawn across the street from a Woodbridge home when he heard a loud explosion just before 10 a.m.
Neighbors described the scene as mayhem, with huge flames, black smoke and a shell of a house by the time firefighters arrived on scene.
The fire crews arrived within minutes of the fire starting, but the fire managed to burn down the house, according to neighbors.
“Within moments the whole house was just engulfed in flames,” he says. Odenis goes on to describe watching someone being dragged out of the home and across the street.
News 12 has learned that neighbor Anthony Hart was the individual who pulled a man, who is also an amputee, from the flames.
Woodbridge emergency officials say the man who Hart pulled out was airlifted to St. Barnabas for third-degree burns. Several other family members suffered minor injuries.
Neighbors say a large family lived in the house and reportedly, one of the children said they smelled gas for the past few days.
Fire Capt. Richard Fritzsch says the bravery of quick-acting neighbors helped save lives.
Fire investigators say it is too soon to determine what caused the explosion. They are working on determining the cause (which is most likely a gas leak).