A fire destroyed eight apartment units on Willowbrook Drive in North Brunswick on Nov. 17. FRANK WOJCIECHOWSKI Donations are needed for families who lost their homes in a massive apartment building fire last week.
At approximately 8:13 a.m. Nov. 17, the North Brunswick Police and Fire Departments were alerted to a fire at 114 Willowbrook Drive. Upon arrival of the police department, it was confirmed that multiple housing units were on fire within Building 19.
A woman with a baby was spotted by a police officer standing on a one-story balcony calling for help. Patrolman Nate Nicholson convinced the woman to drop the baby to him, and then she jumped to him as well, according to a statement released by the office of North Brunswick Mayor Francis “Mac” Womack. Both were transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure. The Fire Department arrived and battled the blaze for several hours, limiting the fire damage to Building 19.
The North Brunswick First Aid and Rescue Squad treated two firefighters for minor injuries at the scene, the statement said.
Mutual aid responded to the scene from the New Brunswick, Milltown, Brookview (East Brunswick) and Franklin Park Fire Departments, as well as the Milltown First Aid Squad.
The building sustained heavy damage, and all eight units within the structure have been declared uninhabitable.
The incident is being investigated by the North Brunswick Fire Marshal’s Office, assisted by North Brunswick police detectives. No cause has yet to be determined, according to the mayor’s office.
Donations such as gift cards, non-perishable food items, paper goods and toiletries are being accepted at the Kaplan-Hidden Lake Leasing Office, 1 Lincoln Place, North Brunswick.
Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected].