BAYONNE – A man and a woman believed to be in their mid-60s were killed when a four-alarm fire raced through a three-floor house on East 21st Street on Saturday morning, July 11.
The two fire-related deaths were the first in the city in seven years, according to Fire Chief Gregory Rogers.
Three others were injured and were taken to Bayonne Medical Center, the Jersey City Medical Center, and St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick.
The Bayonne Fire Department received the first alarm at 3:37 a.m. for the 77 East 21st St. structure. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered an enormous amount of fire in front of the building, with the second and third floors involved, Rogers said.
Residents were evacuating as firefighters arrived and most were able to flee safely.
About 20 people were displaced by the fire. The Red Cross and other agencies were working to find temporary housing for the residents, Rogers said.
The fire was extinguished in about two hours. Portions of the building were still smoldering as late as 9:30 a.m.
The building’s second and third floors were heavily damaged.
The Jersey City and North Hudson Regional fire departments provided aid.
There was no information on the fire’s cause or exact point of origin.
Two fire inspectors are investigating the blaze, and they are also determining the structural integrity of the adjacent building at 75 East 21st St., according to Rogers. –Joseph Passantino
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