By: Richard L. Smith

A quiet Tuesday morning in Newark’s West Ward turned tragic when a fire inside a Telford Street home claimed the life of a longtime resident, prompting a full investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Officials say the blaze broke out around 8:19 a.m. at 58 Telford Street, a four-family residence where neighbors were getting ready for work, school, and the day ahead.

Newark firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke pushing through the upper level of the building.

Crews quickly stretched multiple lines, fighting their way through thick heat as they made an aggressive push to reach the second floor.

Within minutes, firefighters located 60-year-old Mr. Wilbur Pierre in a second-floor hallway.

He was unresponsive when they carried him out of the home. P

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