A fire early this morning (Tuesday, May 7) caused extensive damage to a Summit Avenue home in Lyndhurst, Det. Sgt. Vincent Auteri, the public information officer of the Lyndhurst Police Department, said in a statement.
At approximately 1:45 a.m., the fire broke out on the second floor a two-family home at 222 Summit Ave., according to Auteri.
According to Auteri:
The home had been occupied by three adults who all resided on the first floor. Each of them was able to escape without being harmed. One of the tenants was awoken by the sound of broken glass before learning flames were shooting out a second-floor window on the north side of the dwelling.
The second floor was vacant and under renovation. A contractor had been working on the second floor Monday evening, sanding and staining hardwood floors. Though the cause of the fire is still under investigation, it is not considered suspicious. It is believed the contractor may have failed to properly discard the oil-soaked rags used during the staining process.
The Bergen County Sheriff’s Department’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation Unit assisted in the investigation.
The Lyndhurst Fire Department received mutual aid from the Rutherford, North Arlington, East Rutherford and Nutley fire departments.
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