A curling iron left on in a basement bathroom is believed to be the cause of a two-alarm fire that claimed the life of the president of the North Bergen Board of Education last Sunday.
Mary Calabria, 81, who served for three terms as the president and was a member of the board for the last 18 years, was found dead in the first floor kitchen of her home at 7029 Newkirk Ave. at 3:30 a.m. Sunday, after North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue members extinguished an extensive blaze.
It was the first fire with a fatality in the township since the Stonehenge Apartment fire that killed three people in 1998.
According to NHRFR Co-director Michael DeOrio, the fire is believed to have started in the basement bathroom. “After talking with fire official Tom Irving, we’ve determined that the fire probably started in the basement bathroom and spread up through the walls to the stairway on the first floor,” DeOrio said. “We believe that the curling iron was left standing plugged in on wicker night stand.”
An autopsy performed by the state Medical Examiner’s Office in Newark determined that Calabria died from smoke inhalation.
According to fire inspectors, Calabria was found in the kitchen near an exit door that had a double-bolted lock, which could only be opened from the inside with a key. The key was not found on the scene.
However, the fire was determined not to be suspicious.
According to DeOrio, the NHRFR received two 911 calls – the last coming from Calabria – at 3:30 a.m. “By the time the first unit arrived, they found the house was fully engulfed in flames,” DeOrio said. “The fire was coming out of all the basement windows. The windows broke and blew out. It was already an intense fire by the time we arrived on the scene.”
The first alarm brought four engine companies and two trucks. A second alarm brought 35 to 40 firefighters to the scene.
When the firefighters arrived, Calabria’s daughter, Rosemary, who lived in the basement apartment, was already out of the house.
Two other residents, Laura and Efrain Ramirez, were safely evacuated.
“We made some efforts to get through the front door, but the heat and flames kept pushing us back,” DeOrio said. “They broke down the door and that led to the second floor, where the man [Ramirez] was. But there was heavy smoke and fire. Our men made every attempt to get everyone out under those conditions.”
The news of Calabria’s death sent shockwaves throughout the community. Not only was she a dedicated member of the Board of Education, but she was also a long-time Democratic committeewoman.
“She was just a beautiful, terrific person who was a tremendous contributor to the community,” said Superintendent of Schools Peter Fischbach. “She cared about people. Nothing was ever too big for her to help someone. She was a bundle of energy. She had the energy of a teenager.”
Calabria was up for re-election in the upcoming school board elections. By law, her name will remain on the ballot. The Board of Education will meet Wednesday to make recommendations for a temporary replacement for Calabria as president.
“She will be hard to replace,” Fischbach said. “Whoever replaces her will have gigantic footsteps to follow.” Board of Education Secretary Jack Duffy was especially hurt by Calabria’s death. “It’s a very painful thing for me to go through,” Duffy said. “I’ve known Mary for 25 years. She was a caring, giving woman who was always willing to help. And she was as sharp as a tack. She knew what was going on and she let you know it.” DeOrio enjoyed a relationship with Calabria. He grew up right around the corner from her, and his father and her late husband were the best of friends.
“My family knew them all very well,” said DeOrio. “I’ve known her my whole life. When you know someone, it makes the investigation even harder.”
Mayor Nicholas Sacco also mourned Calabria’s passing.
“Mary was a wonderful person,” Sacco said. “She was very caring about people and [was] exemplary on the board. She was also the vice chairperson of the Board of Adjustment and was a committeewoman who represented her district well. She also ran our senior nutritional program. Her loss on a business level is hard to bear, but on a personal level, it’s a horrible loss. I’ve known her since I was a little boy.”