Fire claims the lives of two little girls: they were playing with fire near a sofa

On a night that should have been filled with joy and celebration, tragedy struck a family in Newark, New Jersey, on Sunday, October 20, 2024. A fatal fire ended the lives of two girls, just 6 and 8 years oldwhile a birthday party was being held at the home.

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According to reports from CBS News and other local sources, the party had started outdoors, but as the temperature dropped, attendees moved inside the house. It was at that moment, around 12:30 am, when the two girls began playing with fire near a sofa on the second floor of the building. Tragically, what began as a game ended up sparking a fire that quickly engulfed the house.

The fire spread with alarming speed, causing windows on the upper floors of the house to explode. Neighbors like Shonda Simpson, upon seeing the flames, did not hesitate to call the emergency services. “The firefighters arrived in a matter of minutes and they arrived with force,” Simpson told the aforementioned media. However, despite efforts to rescue the girls, the flames and smoke had made the situation impossible.

A scene of chaos and despair took over the street as families desperately tried to evacuate the building and firefighters rushed towards the fire. Adrianna Santos, another neighbor, He described the scene as heartbreaking: “People were screaming, crying, running to save their loved ones.”

Despite valiant attempts by first responders to resuscitate the girls, both were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. None of the victims have been publicly identified, which has left the community in a state of shock and deep mourning.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka spoke about the pain being felt throughout the city. “It is heartbreaking to lose two children in a tragedy of this magnitude. The firefighters were visibly affected. “These types of events leave a deep mark on all of us,” he said.

The tragedy has also unleashed a series of questions about the conditions in which the families lived in the affected house. Neighbors like Dalisa Anthony have revealed that there was a high density of people residing on the second floor of the building, with up to 20 people sharing the space. Anthony noted that he had already tried to bring the overcrowded conditions to the attention of local authorities, but he regretted that he never received an adequate answer.

Linwood Duncan, another third-floor resident, corroborated these concerns, adding that complaints had already been made to the rental company. However, to date, no formal complaints have been made about the condition of the property, according to the statements of Mayor Baraka. There had only been calls for trash and debris in the surrounding area.

Local activist Tony Agosto has also spoken out on the issue, stating that the house housed between seven and twelve families, many of them living in overcrowded conditions, with mattresses stacked to accommodate all residents.

As the investigation continues to determine the exact cause of the fire, the Newark community is facing immense grief. Shonda Simpson, reflecting on the loss, expressed her sadness: “Two lives so young, they were just beginning to live. It is a tragedy that cannot be described in words. “There is nothing more painful than seeing a family lose their children in such a horrible way.”

Although firefighters and neighbors did everything they could, the tragedy has left a wound that will take time to heal. Meanwhile, authorities are working to discover whether overcrowding and housing conditions may have contributed. to the speed and lethality of the fire.

The community continues to mourn, trying to process what happened while waiting for answers that may shed some light on the causes of this devastating tragedy.

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