By Joseph Wilkinson
New York Daily News
NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — Two people were killed in a fire at a high-rise senior center in North Bergen, N.J., on Thursday morning, authorities said.
The victims were identified only as an 88-year-old man and a 77-year-old woman who investigators believe are related, WABC reported. One other resident, who was not identified, was hospitalized.
Two police officers who responded to the scene were also hospitalized for smoke inhalation, according to WNBC. Two firefighters also suffered minor injuries.
The fire erupted around 1:30 a.m. at the Cullum Apartments, a public housing building for seniors and disabled people, NJ.com reported. The 17-story building is just three miles west of Central Park across the Hudson River.
Firefighters said the blaze was contained to one unit on the 10th floor of the building, according to News 12 New Jersey. However, residents in 24 other units were displaced by the fire.
“I was going to sleep and my mom called me to say everything was on fire,” the daughter of one resident told WABC. “I came here and everyone was crying and panicked, they had to take everybody to the basement.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but foul play is not suspected, WNYW reported.
Nearly 23 years ago, a fire in the same building killed a 71-year-old woman and sent 10 more residents to the hospital. That fire, on Dec. 6, 2002, also sent at least 10 firefighters to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
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