Abandoned Home Fire in Newark Displaces Four Families; Residents Call for Faster Action on Dilapidated Properties

 A fast-moving fire that started in an abandoned home on South 19th Street Saturday evening spread to neighboring residences, displacing at least four families and reducing the original structure to rubble, according to fire officials.

The blaze broke out around 5 p.m. at 933 South 19th St. Residents living next door described a terrifyingly rapid escalation. One neighbor, who was inside his home when the fire began, recounted watching the flames appear in a back window before closing in on his own property within a minute.

“I saw the flames come out the window in the back of the house. One minute later, the flames are up against my window. It was blowing out uncontrollably,” the resident said. “I ain’t never seen nothing like that in my life.”

A family member, who was also in the home, said she had just enough time to put on clothes and grab her dog before fleeing. She called 911 as the emergency unfolded.

Fire officials confirmed that no one was injured in the incident. However, the flames quickly spread to the homes adjacent to the abandoned property, leaving behind charred windows, blown-out glass, damaged roofs, and melted siding.

One displaced resident expressed deep distress over belongings left behind. “I left my cat and my mom and my grandma ashes in the house,” the resident said. “I just heard, like, I don’t know how to go about this.”

Neighbors told first responders that homeless individuals had been living in the abandoned house, and they described it as an ongoing issue in the area.

“We have been championing for these dilapidated homes to be addressed quicker,” a resident said. “A lot of these homes are purchased and just left abandoned.”

Fire crews remained on the scene hours after the blaze, working to extinguish hot spots. The smell of smoke lingered in the air as firefighters continued their efforts. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.