Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ORANGE, N.J. (AP) — Two young siblings ages 1 and 6 were killed in an overnight house fire in New Jersey, officials said Saturday.
The children were found inside the home in Orange after the blaze broke out Friday night, the Essex County prosecutor's office said. Seven other occupants escaped, including two children witnesses said jumped to safety.
Officials identified the children as Zion Tony and his older sister, Jayda McEachin. Two other people were treated at a hospital.
Resident Mary Lewter told NJ.com she was woken up by her baby's father, who urged her to get out of the burning building. She says she tried to go upstairs and help others but was blocked by flames.
Passerby Darryl Mayfield said he caught two children who jumped from the top floor window to a porch roof.
"We saw smoke from the corner and we came down here and I saw kids upstairs," Mayfield told NJ.com. "We saw a lady there and the kids, and we were telling her to throw the kids, but she was scared. It took like 10 minutes but the kids jumped. Then she just went back in."
New Jersey Transit brought in a bus to serve as a warming center at the site, on an evening when temperatures hovered around 10 degrees. The Red Cross also provided temporary lodging, food and clothing to people displaced by the fire.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
