Four people, including a baby and a teenager, are dead after a fire rips through a home in Lacey Township, NJ – as shocked neighbors describe hearing their screams
- The fire occurred at a property in Lacey Township that was home to a family of nine, spanning three generations, at about 12:30 p.m.
- Jennifer Wright, 39, Alaina Wright, 34, a 14-year-old girl and a four-month-old baby died in the fire and 67-year-old grandmother Brenda Wright was injured
- Startled neighbors described the family’s screams and ran to the house to help them out of harm’s way
A fire at a home in New Jersey on Tuesday killed four people, including a baby and a teenage girl.
The fire occurred at a property in Lacey Township that was home to a family of nine, spanning three generations, at about 12:30 p.m.
Jennifer Wright, 39, Alaina Wright, 34, a 14-year-old girl and a four-month-old baby died in the fire and 67-year-old grandmother Brenda Wright was injured.
Firefighters tried to save them, but the roof collapsed and the crew had to evacuate.
Startled neighbors described the family’s screams and ran to the house to help them out of harm’s way.
‘We heard screaming. I was like, ‘Oh my god, the kids are still in the house,’ Robert Juska told me CBS news.
A fire at a home in New Jersey on Tuesday killed four people, including a baby and a teenage girl
The fire occurred at a property in Lacey Township that was home to a family of nine, spanning three generations, at about 12:30 p.m.
Jennifer Wright, 39, Alaina Wright, 34, a 14-year-old girl and a four-month-old baby died in the fire and 67-year-old grandmother Brenda Wright was injured
He said that he ran to the burning house, climbed over the fence and saw that the grandmother was in pain.
She came out the top window. She jumped down, but she broke her leg,” he added.
She tried to get back up and go back inside to save her family, but she passed out at the door, according to the neighbor.
Juska said, “So we picked her up and carried her here and then she told us there were four more people in the house and I was like, ‘Who?” And she was like, “the kids.”‘
Neighbor John Trusso said, “All the black smoke came over the trees and within minutes the entire neighborhood was covered.
‘Smoking everywhere. It was thick. It was very, very scary.’
Another panicked neighbor smashed an air conditioning unit in the house trying to get in, but he couldn’t get past the door.
“There was so much in the house. When I kicked the back door, it wouldn’t even open,” he told News 12 New Jersey.
Neighbor Robert Juska said he heard screams and ran to the house to help the family escape
Juska said he saw the grandmother hurt. She tried to get back up and go back inside to save her family, but she passed out at the door
Firefighters spent all day battling the burning wood and melted window frames of the property
It was determined by local and state agency investigators that the fire started on the porch and “improperly disposed of smoking material cannot be ruled out as the cause of the fire”
Grandmother Brenda was later taken to Community Medical Center for treatment for her injuries and is in stable condition.
Firefighters spent all day battling the burning wood and melted window frames of the property.
“This is an unspeakable tragedy and our prayers are with the loved ones of these victims,” Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a statement.
Local and government investigators determined that the fire started on the porch and that “improperly disposed of smoking material cannot be ruled out as the cause of the fire.”
Prosecutor Billhimer said, “The cause of the fire has been declared accidental.”