Firefighters rescue baby trapped inside burning home in Jersey City; teen also hospitalized
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (WABC) -- A baby and 17-year-old girl were rushed to the hospital after a fire broke out at a home in Jersey City on Friday.
Firefighters responded to 322 Princeton Ave. around 1 p.m. where they were met with heavy fire and smoke conditions throughout the first floor of the two-story house, which quickly spread to homes on both sides.
Firefighters were told a 15-month-old baby was still believed to be in the house.
With just about zero visibility due to heavy smoke and fire, they were able to find and rescue the trapped baby, who officials say was lying on a bed wedged up against the wall.
"It wasn't like laying on top of the bed, it was somehow against the wall - so it was difficult to find the baby, but they found it pretty fast and got it out," said Jersey City Fire Chief Jack Johnson.
Officials say the child was unconscious but breathing when brought out of the burning home by firefighters.
The baby was taken then to a local hospital for apparent smoke inhalation, and is now in stable condition.
A 17-year-old girl who was also home at the time was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation, and is in stable condition.
Eyewitness News spoke to a neighbor Tevin Mwangi who found the 17-year-old girl, panicking and crying outside the home.
"She's crying, coughing, has black smoke all over her body. So, I assumed something is going on," the neighbor said. "I checked the house, all of a sudden I saw fire is engulfing the house, smoke is pouring out, and I knew I had to call 911. She did tell me she had a younger sister, around 15-month-old baby, inside the house."
Mwangi said he made sure to tell firefighters about the baby as soon as they arrived.
Officials say they believe no one else was home inside the residence at the time of the fire.
They say 17 adults and six children have been displaced from three houses on a dark, cold night. Even more bitter, was the loss of some pets.
A displaced resident named Eddie told Eyewitness News that Max, his family's dog, was among some of the pets that perished in the house fire.
"We have to leave him now until we come back tomorrow to find a place to bury him," Eddie said.
Among Eddie's pets were a bearded dragon and leopard geckos, but Max had been with them the longest.
Displaced residents and are now being offered assistance from the American Red Cross.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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