Fire from vacant building tears through multiple homes in Essex County, NJ

IRVINGTON — A fire on Tuesday tore through multiple homes along the town's border with Newark.

The blaze originated in a vacant residential building along Montgomery Avenue around 5 p.m., according to local officials.

Irvington requested help from Newark due to the intensity of the blaze, RLS Media reports.

Within a half hour, the fire had spread to four other homes along the road, officials said.

The fire forced dozens of adults and children out of their homes, in need of relocation, according to officials.

Reports point to one injury — a man who had to be transported to a hospital for treatment. New Jersey 101.5 has reached out to law enforcement in both towns for a status update on the victim.

"My thoughts and prayers are with those impacted by this devastating incident, especially the residents directly involved," Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss said in a statement. "Together, we will rebuild and recover."

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According to RLS Media, the fire was brought under control by 7 p.m. Crews remained on the scene for hours.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. A neighbor told CBS New York that there had been issues with squatters in the vacant property where the fire originated.

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