6 people in Newark Fire jumped.

[Bronco90]

Again, I m sorry for sketchy reporting but I am still at my mother's house tending to her as she is 83 and ill. I have my old scanner and laptop here and missed the start of this call. Somewhere in Newark they had a fire on the top floor I believe of a 3 story brick, 2 stores on the first floor and apartments above. I didn't think much of it at the time as the FD had the fire knocked down in what seemed like less then 10 min but heavy smoke in the vacant fire apartment where the fire was. Apartment #5. But then I heard DC-1 call in that EMS took 6 people to the University Hospital who had jumped from the 2nd floor. That seemed strange to me at 1st, like yea maybe 1 or 2 people might panic and try to drop down or jump onto something from just the 2nd floor but 6? Well like they said there was heavy smoke. Then it came together about 5 minuets later, DC-1 called in for I think Fire Prevention as I think he said the "Main" egress or Exit was partially blocked and the 2nd egress or exit was totally blocked. Now I can see why 6 people and luckily not more saw jumping or dropping from the 2nd floor as the best way out.
An afterthought...
It's sad that condictions like that exist, and I bet some of the residensts know it but are afraid to report it because they think they may be kicked out by the owners.

[Rob_K]

5 children, mother forced to jump from Newark fire | 7online.com

[Bronco90]

Thanks Rob, that explained it all. So sad.

Oh and sorry about the sketchy reports lately, it's a little hard till I get home.

[Rob_K]

No prob. Not an area I usually monitor but I had some time to search around.

[Bob3655]

This is a little graphic for some people to look at. Perhaps this should be removed???
Just my thoughts even thought these children were not hurt badly..thank god!
Thanks!

[kb2vxa]

"Investigators say it's not clear whether the owner was at fault because some buildings have different regulations."

I can't say anything about Newark or Essex County codes but the state requires two egresses and doesn't specify whether they're internal or external. The OP states there are two but one was partially blocked and the other totally but that raises the question of how tenants reach their apartments. The building not having a fire escape suggests internal stairwells which gives rise to the question.

Here's another point of interest, state housing inspectors come around once a year but that didn't mean buildings were up to code. Landlords paid off the corrupt ones or kept the state in litigation until the cows came home, in both cases violations remained uncorrected. One and perhaps the only good thing came out of Christie slashing the budget and firing "half" the state employees including housing inspectors. Now those few remaining must justify their existence by nit picking every violation but I can't speak for the courts prosecuting them.

Unfortunately The Super was only a movie and Big Lou Kritsky's (Vincent Gardenia) line to Louie (Joe Pesci) is the slumlord's anthem; "When you buy a piece of property what do you do with it? NAAATHIN'!"

[Fuzy_GSXR1000]

Very sad story.