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Investigators suspect oil-soaked rags improperly discarded by contractors staining the upper residence’s floors might be responsible for the Summit Avenue blaze, Police Detective Sgt. Vincent Auteri said.
All three adult residents downstairs got out OK after the sound of glass breaking from the flames woke one of them just after 1:45 a.m., he said.
“The second floor was vacant and under renovation,” Auteri said. “A contractor was on the premises as late as Monday evening sanding and staining the hardwood floors. The cause of the fire is still under investigation but not considered suspicious.”
The second floor and attic were severely damaged, he said, adding that a neighboring home sustained some exterior damage from the heat and flames.
Joining their Lyndhurst colleagues were firefighters from Rutherford, North Arlington, East Rutherford, and Nutley.
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