Investigation into East Orange, NJ house fire that killed 5, including infant
EAST ORANGE (WABC) -- Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire that killed 5 people in East Orange, including an infant.
The fire spread to three homes early Sunday morning.
It took fire officials hours to find and identify the bodies of 79-year-old Alice Horton, Randy and Ronnie Horton, 20-year-old old Breione Love and her 6 week old daughter, Lanore.
As family got word of the deaths, they rushed to the scene and broke down in tears. Some family members even tried running into the smoldering home as crews tried to stop them. One man was so upset that he had to be handcuffed.
"I know people who know the family, so my regards go out to them," says East Orange resident Rebecca Silas, "It's just sad with everything that's going on so close to the holidays - it's time for everyone to be together."
Fire officials aren't saying exactly what may have caused the blaze, but tell Eyewitness News that wind gusts caused flames to spread to the homes on either side of it. Investigators may be able to get more information from the one woman who was saved on the roof of the third floor.
"She had actually crawled out of the window and was on the roof," says East Orange Fire Deputy Chief Christopher Weiss.
With the neighborhood being one of the oldest in the city, residents question the hydrants that were used.
"I feel the city needs to be on top of the hydrants and stuff, because it took them 25 minutes just to get a hydrant up and running," Silas adds.
All of the homes affected have bars on the windows. There is no word yet if that may have prevented the family who lost their lives from being able to get out.
