Blaze burns along Oakwood Avenue

By John Zucal, Managing Editor
The scene along a stretch of Oakwood Avenue was one of devastation Sunday, one day after a fire damaged or destroy nine adjacent residences.
According to a spokesman with the Orange Fire Department, the blaze began at about 1 p.m. inside a 2 1/2-story residence along Oakwood Avenue. It began spreading to neighboring homes until the fire had reached nine buildings.
Seven firefighters were injured while battling the blaze, said Firefighter Derrick Brown, coordinator for the department’s Community Relations Division. None have returned to duty as of Tuesday afternoon.
The multi-house fire forced approximately 40 people from the homes. Kalisha Morgan, principal of nearby Oakwood Avenue School, said eight students were among the displaced residents.
“Our counselor, Pamela Venable, has reached out to the families,” said Morgan, who added counseling was made available to all of Oakwood’s students. She noted some of the students live across the street from the fire area.
The school’s staff also has begun the process of helping the displaced students, said Morgan.
“The teachers have donated uniforms as well as bookbags and educational materials,” said Morgan. “The staff and students also plan a collection for the displaced students at a later date.”
Morgan said all this was occurring because the school’s staff and students would do all they could to help the students and families who lost their homes in their greatest time of need.
Inside fire headquarters, the department has been working to help the displaced residents through the early stages of their recovery, said Brown. The fire staff’s efforts have been supplemented by help from local chapters of the American Red Cross as well as the Love of Jesus and St. Matthew AME churches.

Read more in this week's Orange Transcript, Click Here to SUBSCRIBE TODAY