Two people were left with severe burns after a fire broke out inside an abandoned bank in Jersey City, New Jersey. A firefighter was also hurt while responding to the blaze, though those injuries were described as not life threatening. The fire drew a quick response and left neighbors shaken by what they had seen.
According to a spokesperson for Jersey City Public Safety, the flames erupted at about 9:30 in the morning. The building was a bank branch that had been closed since the fall of 2012, and witnesses said smoke was soon pouring from the windows. Two men were inside the structure when the fire took hold.
A neighbor watching from the sidewalk said he saw the smoke and called police. He and a friend decided to take action when they realized people were caught inside. One of the men was helped over a gate to safety, while the other remained trapped within the burning building.
The injuries to those inside were serious. One witness described a man who had been burned across his entire body, and the Public Safety spokesperson confirmed that two people had suffered severe burns. As the rescue unfolded, those watching said they feared for the man who could not get out.
Because the structure was an old bank, it was heavily fortified. Witnesses pointed out the bars covering all of the windows, and one said responders had to cut the locks off the front door to reach the people trapped inside. The reinforced design made the rescue effort more difficult.
The building itself has a long history in the city, dating back to 1902. The bank branch had stood empty since its closure more than a decade ago. Its abandoned state added to the danger as crews worked to bring the fire under control.
For witnesses like the neighbor who first called for help, attention turned to the injured as the flames were knocked down. He said he hoped the man who had been trapped would pull through. The cause of the fire remained under investigation as emergency crews finished their work at the scene.