A 74-year-woman died in a large fire in Union City, New Jersey Saturday, the Hudson County Prosecutor confirmed Sunday.
The four-alarm fire sparked shortly before 4:00 p.m. along Bergen Turnpike near 39th St. “Upon arrival, first responders located a fire involving 3808 through 3812 Bergen Turnpike,” Prosecutor Wayne Mello said in a statement. Those addresses include apartments, a cafe, and a cemetery monument business, according to Google Maps. The name of the woman who died has not been released.
The Prosecutor’s office says the victim’s body was found inside a home at 3808 Bergen Turnpike.
An NBC New York crew responding to the fire Saturday reported smoke being so thick, people couldn’t see down the end of the street. A neighbor tells News 4 he heard an explosion and then the power went out. PSE&G says nearly 200 customers lost electricity, after the fire affected a transmission line.
The American Red Cross said Saturday it was helping at least five families affected by the fire. 22 people were left out of their homes because of the fire, officials said.
The tragedy is under investigation by the Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force, North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue, and the Union City Police Department.