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TRENTON, N.J. (WTXF) - One person has died and a firefighter has been injured following an overnight fire in Trenton, New Jersey.
The fire broke out around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 13 on the 200 block of Cass Street.
Caesar Merino's family lived inside. He says an uncle and two aunts along with a 14-year-old boy were watching tv when they smelled smoke.
"When they open his room, fire coming into his room," said Merino.
Those inside the home were forced to jump from a bedroom window. One aunt was not able to escape. Firefighters who made entry and found her were unable to save her life. The rest of the family is recovering from serious injuries. Loved ones shared with FOX 29 a photo of the uncle in the hospital. He sustained fractures and broken bones from jumping to safety and also from trying catch the others as they leapt from the burning building.
"He tried to catch. He tried to catch the kids? Yeah, yeah," Merino said.
"Last night we left like 11, everything looks fine," said restaurant owner Jose Sanchez.
When Sanchez returned to open his restaurant Saturday, he was stunned to see the destruction next door and heartbroken for the family he knew well. They were immigrants from Honduras and had lived in the home for over a decade.
"Really good neighbors. I'm here for 8 years. We share parking. They give me a chance to put my stuff over there. They're good," Sanchez said.
Merino said his surviving aunt sustained a more serious head injury as a result of the fall from the building, but she and the younger cousin are recovering.
Investigators say a firefighter was injured but has already been treated and released from the hospital.
No word yet on the cause of the fire.