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Wind-Whipped Fire Destroys House In Garfield, New Jersey

GARFIELD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A wind-whipped fire tore through a home in Garfield, New Jersey Sunday night.

As CBS2's Raegan Medgie reported, the blasting wind was likely to blame for ripping down power lines that started the fire at 122 Cambridge Ave. in Garfield Sunday afternoon, and the wind also made the fire much more difficult to put out.

Flames were seen shooting through a top-floor window of the home. Firefighters worked quickly, but the home was destroyed.

Firefighters said the wind fueled the fire, making it difficult for them to get ahead.

Douglas Walker could only watch from a distance as the house where he grew up – and where his mother still lived – burned.

"It's awful," Walker said. "It's a horrible feeling."

Walker said there was only so much firefighters could do.

"They were trying to stop the fire so it didn't go further in the house," Walker said. "They did what they could, but the wind kept turning it back on, and the fire, and the wind kept pushing it towards the house, so it kept burning further and further and further."

Walker's mother was safe Sunday night because of her neighbor, Dwight State.

"I was watching football, eating some ice cream, and then I just heard a loud crash outside," State said. "I ran outside, saw the tree, and the limb from the tree had fell."

State called Walker's mother to alert her.

"I looked over, and the electrical wire started sparking," State said.

Walker's mother was not hurt, and no one else was injured. Walker was extremely grateful.

"I'm thankful everyone is OK, and that's all that matters," he said.

In addition to Walker's mother, a family lived in the building and was also safe late Sunday. All the residents were being assisted by the American Red Cross.

It was believed, but it was not confirmed that the wind ripping down a tree and power lines were to blame for the fire. Winds were blasting at 35 mph at the time of the blaze.

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