ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. (AP) - Authorities say 27 nuns and two priests were evacuated as fire swept through a building in their religious retirement community in Englewood Cliffs.
The fire started as nearly everyone gathered for Mass on the campus of St. Michael’s Villa around 7 a.m. Wednesday.
Police tell The Record (https://bit.ly/2dKWAi4 ) newspaper the fire was sparked by a compressor in a two-story utility building adjacent to the residence. The flames spread to the top floor of the residence through an elevator shaft.
Mayor Mario Kranjac says a cat owned by one of the nuns died. A Labrador named Charlie survived.
The nuns have been moved to a gym that is part of a section of the campus that is leased by St. Peter’s University.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.