A late-night house fire in Newark on Saturday resulted in the tragic deaths of two young girls, leaving the community reeling from the loss. The fire, which erupted on Eckert Avenue just after midnight, was met with a swift response from local firefighters. Upon their arrival, they found the victims, two girls aged six and eight, severely burned and unresponsive. Despite the valiant efforts of the first responders, the girls were declared dead at the scene.
The incident was recorded on video, showing emergency personnel carrying a stretcher away from the house. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was present at the scene, offering his support to the firefighters, one of whom was visibly shaken by the tragic event.
According to reports, the fire started during an indoor birthday party. It is believed that the girls were playing with fire near a couch in a hallway, which ignited the deadly blaze. A neighbor, Dalisa Anthony, had previously voiced concerns about overcrowding in the two-story home and had tried to report these concerns to city officials, but her warnings went unheeded.
A woman, thought to be the mother of one or both of the victims, returned to the scene in a state of distress, searching for her children amid the chaos. The community, including neighbor Shonda Simpson, expressed their deep sorrow over the untimely loss of the two young lives. Another neighbor shared her attempts to help the victims, describing the scene as both “painful” and “shocking.”
The tragedy has had a profound impact on the local education community. Superintendent Roger León of Newark Public Schools confirmed that the girls were students within the district. León expressed his deep sorrow and extended his condolences to the grieving families, assuring them that counseling services would be made available for affected students and staff.
The Red Cross is currently assisting over a dozen people who were displaced by the fire and plans to extend support to additional families impacted by this tragedy. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.