Elderly Couple Killed in North Bergen High-Rise Fire

Deadly Fire at North Bergen Senior Living Facility

• 💔 An 88-year-old man and a 77-year-old woman were found dead inside an apartment following a fire at the Colum apartment highrise in North Bergen.
• 🚨 Firefighters responded quickly after residents smelled smoke and alarms sounded, arriving to find fire blowing out of a 10th-floor window.
• ⏱️ It took approximately 30 minutes for firefighters to extinguish the flames, which were contained to a single unit.

Resident Experiences and Evacuation

• 💨 Residents reported smelling smoke just after 1 AM, with some describing it as a distinct fire smell, not a cooking odor.
• 😟 The fire caused panic among residents, with some elderly individuals calling relatives during the evacuation.
• 🏠 Falling embers from the fire posed a risk to nearby homes, prompting some residents to prepare for evacuation, though the fire was contained to the building.

Response and Aftermath

• 👏 Tenants praised First Responders for their swift actions in ensuring residents were safely evacuated.
• 🏥 One tenant and two police officers were treated for smoke inhalation.
• 🏨 Approximately 27 tenants have been relocated to hotels due to water damage and necessary repairs in their units.

Ongoing Investigation

• 🔍 The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by authorities.
• 🏢 North Bergen officials were scheduled to hold a press conference to provide updates on the investigation.