A large fire broke out in an apartment building in East Orange early Friday morning, Tracie Strahan reports.
A devastating overnight inferno that took hours for firefighters to get control of has displaced at least 18 families and left an 80-year-old woman dead, New Jersey officials said Friday.
The fire started around 12 a.m. at an apartment building in East Orange and quickly overtook the 4-story building.
Fire crews already up against intense heat when they started attacking the blaze were met with thick black smoke that filled the skies for almost 10 hours. Many in the area were still wearing masks after sunrise to keep from chocking on the air.
When firefighters were able to get inside the building they found an 80-year-old woman dead on the third floor of the building, city officials said. Her cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
A handful of firefighters were also injured in the overnight response. At least four were taken to two hospitals in the area; their conditions weren't immediately known but they were expected to recover.
Building inspectors will need to determine whether its structurally sound and if the tenants will be able to return to their homes. Right now, the Red Cross is assisting the families impacted by the fire.
