NJ home catches fire, NJ Transit service disrupted after storms move through Tri-State
NEW YORK (WABC) -- A second night of strong storms barreled through the Tri-State and left plenty of damage on the Fourth of July.
A home became fully engulfed in flames as weather moved through River Edge, New Jersey on Saturday evening.
The home was unoccupied at the time of the fire, which was likely caused by a falling tree during the storm.
One firefighter suffered a minor injury.
In nearby Paramus, trees and power lines were knocked over as the storms blew through.
In Plainfield, New Jersey, it was the second year in a row the community's Fourth of July parade had to be canceled because severe thunderstorms knocked down trees and knocked out power on July 3rd.
On Saturday, another round of storms left messes across New Jersey, where transit officials were already struggling to get train service back on track from the infrastructure damage from the storms the night before, and heat from this week.
"This weather is extreme and dangerous," said Governor Mikie Sherrill
The extreme wind from the storms that boiled up in the dangerous heat wreaked havoc on NJ Transit train lines, toppling dozens of trees onto the wires that power them.
North Jersey Coast Line will resume regular weekend service at the start of service day on Sunday.
Montclair-Boonton Line will remain suspended until further notice while Morris and Essex and Gladstone Branch Lines will remain suspended for the entire service day tomorrow, Sunday, 7/5, due to ongoing repairs to infrastructure damage.
All other rail lines have resumed, but some residual delays are possible.
"The crews are not only cleaning up the system for regular commuters for Monday, but we are also preparing the necessary equipment to make sure we can provide a full service for FIFA tomorrow," said NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri.
The storms also feel like a cruel case of Deja-Vu in Plainfield.
"Three years in a row. All horrific," said Winfield.
A similar storm on July third of last year ripped down trees and power lines, even killing two people in a car that was crushed.
This July third storm was almost as brutal. No one was hurt or killed this time, but this massive sugar maple tree came smashing down onto a home on Kensington Avenue.
Owner Santiago Tavares pointed out the tree was growing in front of the house next door.
He says, I felt it hit the house just seconds after hearing the wind howl.
Now, the crushing weight of it has left his porch roof sagging and sinking all day, as he waits for the city to send tree cutters and for PSE&G to untangle the mess of wires and replace them.
He and his neighbors are among a couple thousand people here left without power in the heat wave.
"This is aggravating. When it's hot like this and you've got babies and older people, what do you do?" said Winfield.
This longtime resident of Plainfield says it was the same story July 3rd of last year, and then on July 14th when more summer storms in sweltering heat flooded the Plainfields. He wonders why this area seems to suffer so much from nature's wrath.
"I don't know. I think the people in church need to start praying harder," Winfield says.
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download our connected TV app
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts on the go
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
