‘A total loss.’ Stubborn fire destroys home in Rahway
Rahway Fire Chief Michael Roberts says the home is a total loss after heavy smoke and fire damaged the home.
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A three-alarm fire burned through the roof of a home early Tuesday morning in Rahway on Lawrence Street.
Officials told News 12 New Jersey that one homeowner was home at the time of the blaze and she evacuated safely. Rahway Fire Chief Michael Roberts says police had to hold the woman back from making multiple attempts to go back inside the burning house.
Heavy smoke and fire damaged the home, and it's not deemed safe, according to Roberts. He says the home is a total loss.
Roberts says the call of the fire came in around 1:15 a.m. and the "stubborn" fire burned for about two hours. He says the fire was on the first floor and then it spread to the second floor, and it was difficult to put out because there was a lot of debris in the way.
One neighbor told News 12 the woman came out of the house and obviously left everything, so she gave her a jacket and another neighbor across the street gave the woman a pair of shoes.
The neighbor also said the woman and her family have been living in the neighborhood for quite some time.
The woman’s family owns the Bridges Book Center and African American Research Library & Museum on Main Street.
“I'm sure they have tons of memorabilia in there,” the neighbor said. “Their family, I guess, owns a bookstore around the corner. She's very nice.”
Red Cross says it's providing emergency assistance, including temporary lodging, food and clothing for a family of two.
Police remained on the scene to make sure no one went back inside the home as firefighters continued to work on putting out potential hot spots.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
