A husband and wife in their mid-60s were killed when a four-alarm fire swept through a three-story house on East 21st Street on Saturday morning, July 11.
They have been identified as Robert and Frances Angelini. Robert was 64 years old and Frances was 65, according to media accounts. Robert was an amputee, and was in a wheelchair, said a woman who knew the couple.
“The medical examiner concluded they perished in the fire,” Fire Chief Gregory Rogers said at the scene late Saturday morning.
Three others were injured and taken to Bayonne Medical Center, the Jersey City Medical Center, and St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, a fire official said.
The Bayonne Fire Department received the first alarm at 3:37 a.m. for the 77 East 21st St. structure, between Prospect Avenue and Avenue F, according to Rogers. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered an “enormous amount of fire in front of the building,” with the second and third floors involved.
“The medical examiner concluded they perished in the fire,” Fire Chief Gregory Rogers
____________
Residents were evacuating as firefighters arrived and most were able to flee safely.
A fire rig was struck by an electrical power wire after arriving, according to Rogers.
There were 19 people living in the house, according to Rogers. There was an apartment on the first floor with seven people, two apartments on the second floor with 10 people, and one apartment on the third floor with two people.
The two fire-related deaths were the first in the city in seven years.
The Red Cross and other agencies found temporary housing for fire victims.
Building remnants
The fire was extinguished in about two hours. Portions of the building were still smoldering as late as 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. At that time, the building’s second and third floors were heavily damaged and the building’s roof was gone.
Under investigation
Two fire inspectors investigated the blaze, and it was determined that the building was no longer inhabitable. It was demolished on Sunday.
Fire investigators also assessed the adjacent building, at 75 East 21st St., to determine its structural integrity.
The Jersey City and North Hudson Regional fire departments provided aid.
There was no information on the fire’s cause or point of origin.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.To comment on this story online visit www.hudsonreporter.com.