NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — A fire at a New Brunswick apartment building forced about 35 Rutgers University students out of their housing and sent three firefighters to be treated for minor injuries. The blaze broke out Tuesday afternoon at an eight-unit residential building on Louis Street, and crews stayed on scene for nearly four hours before bringing it under control.
Officials said no civilians were hurt. Rutgers said the affected students include residents of the building where the fire started and others who lived next door but were hit by water damage. University staff began reaching out to students quickly and started arranging basic support, including meals, clothing, temporary housing and help with classes.
Fire crews worked for nearly four hours before getting the blaze under control
The New Brunswick Fire Department said the fire began around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters remained at the property until about 5:15 p.m., when the flames were brought under control after a long response that included overhaul work into the evening.
Two New Brunswick firefighters and one mutual-aid firefighter were hurt, though the injuries were described as minor. No tenants or bystanders were reported injured. The building involved was an eight-unit residential property, and officials have not said how many people were inside when the fire started.
Rutgers says about 35 students were affected, including some who had just moved in
Rutgers said the number of displaced students is about 35. That total includes 17 students who lived in the building where the fire occurred, along with students in a neighboring building whose apartments suffered water damage during the response.
Officials said some students had moved in only days earlier and had already decorated their rooms before being forced to leave. For those students, the disruption was immediate and personal, turning what should have been the beginning of a new semester into an unexpected housing problem.
The university said it has contacted affected students and is working to address urgent needs. That help includes meals, clothing, temporary housing and assistance with classes so students can keep up with coursework while they are displaced.
Red Cross provides emergency money, shelter help and support services
The American Red Cross said it responded to the fire on Tuesday and provided emergency financial assistance to 18 people. The aid is meant to help cover temporary lodging, food, clothing and other immediate needs after the loss of access to housing.
The organization said it expects to help additional people affected by the fire as they become available. Along with financial assistance, the Red Cross is offering disaster health, mental health and spiritual care services.
The group is also coordinating with Rutgers to support the students who were displaced. That partnership matters because the fire affected both on-campus-adjacent student housing needs and the broader logistics of getting people settled quickly after the evacuation.
Mutual-aid departments from across Middlesex County joined the response
Emergency help came from several agencies beyond New Brunswick. Departments from Edison, East Franklin, North Brunswick and East Brunswick assisted at the scene, along with New Brunswick police, emergency management officials and Middlesex County fire coordinators.
The scale of the response shows how quickly nearby departments can be pulled into a local housing fire when student residents, multiple units and water damage are involved. Firefighters were still working at the property Tuesday evening as they finished overhaul operations and checked for any remaining hot spots.
Investigators are still looking into what sparked the fire
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, and officials have not announced what started it. The New Brunswick Fire Department is leading the emergency response and the inquiry into how the fire developed.
For Rutgers students, the next steps are likely to focus on temporary housing, replacing essentials and figuring out how to continue classes while their apartments are unavailable. University officials said support services are already in motion, and the Red Cross expects to continue helping affected people as their needs are identified.
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