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The cause of the fire was still under investigation as of Wednesday morning, Chief Tom Loreto told Daily Voice. Twelve families were displaced from the fire, which started at 4:30 p.m. and later reignited before being fully doused around 7 p.m., Loreto said.
Officials believe it started in one of the third-floor units, he said.
"Fire damage was extensive throughout the third floor and roof area," the chief said. "... The first and second floor units have a lot of smoke and water damage."
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ALSO SEE: A trio of Mahwah police officers thought they'd evacuated all of the residents from a raging Mahwah condominium fire Tuesday afternoon when they spotted a 9-year-old girl on a third-floor balcony. READ MORE....
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Kelly Loveman of Mahwah created a GoFundMe page to help the people affected by the fire.
"I feel for the young girl, who is only in fourth grade, and her family," Loveman told Daily Voice. "They lost everything. I can't even begin to think about how devastating that must be.
"I started the fundraiser as a little something to help out. I couldn't stop thinking about it all night and knew there had to be a way to assist and to help them get back on their feet."
Cleanup crews continued to work on the area Wednesday.
Diane Concannon, spokeswoman for the Red Cross, said her agency wasn't contacted to assist the families but that she will follow up to see whether they need anything.
Mahwah Mayor Bill Lafortet said officials were still determining the best way to help the families.
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