A teenager was killed and one man was injured when a fast-moving fire roared through a northern New Jersey apartment building.
A 17-year-old girl died after being trapped in a third-floor apartment in the burning Elizabeth building, said Elizabeth Fire Chief Salvatore Barraco. Her name has not been released.
Two firefighters also suffered minor injuries in the five-alarm blaze, which broke out around 9:30 p.m. Saturday and burned for several hours. It was still not clear Sunday what sparked the fire, which destroyed the home and severely damaged two other residences.
Authorities say the injured man jumped from the third floor to escape the flames and suffered broken bones but no life-threatening injuries.
The three-story wood-frame home on William Street had 10 apartments, seven of which were occupied at the time of the blaze, Barraco said.
About 100 firefighters from Elizabeth and other communities battled the blaze. Elizabeth firefighters were able to quickly reach the scene since they were about a block away on another call.
Several residents displaced by the fire were being assisted by the American Red Cross.
Joe Thomas, who witnessed the blaze, said flames "were coming of the front like a flame thrower."
