3 Adults, Baby Rescued From Balcony In Newark Fire

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Four people were saved, including a baby, in a large fire at a three-story building in Newark Sunday afternoon.

CBS2's Ali Bauman reported three adults, a baby and a dog were rescued from a third floor balcony.

Flames torched through the apartment building that's home to 31 people at 376 Ferry Street.

"Shortly after 3:30, we had a report of smoke in the building. Upon arrival, units found heavy fire on the third floor and smoke on the lower floors," Newark Fire Chief John Centanni said.

One firefighter injured his fire in the rescue and the family was treated by EMS on scene.

The first floor is the restaurant Paleio and the upper levels are apartments. The third floor is completely destroyed.

"My wife, she's a cook in the restaurant and she called me, 'Get out, there's a fire,'" resident Tony Santos said.

Now she's out of work and they are without a home.

"A lot of water, but I hope I can get something out," Santos said. "I'll try."

Hoses sprayed onto the simmering building for hours into nightfall, while pockets of people gathered to watch a once neighborhood hub turn to ash.

Patricia Morales, who lives nearby, came searching for her friend who called in tears after escaping her top floor apartment.

"She was inside the apartment and felt it was so hot. She can't get out with the dog," Morales said.

Resident Maura Carval rushed home from work to search for his two dogs that he kept inside, three stories up. His dogs did not make it out alive.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.