2 Killed After Fast-Moving Thanksgiving Fire Tears Through Orange Home, Officials Say

By The Garden State Gazette Staff

ORANGE, N.J. — A fast-moving fire tore through a home on Mosswood Avenue in Orange on Thanksgiving evening, killing two people inside, authorities said.

Flames broke out around 5 p.m. Thursday at the house, according to early details from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and local officials. Fire crews arrived within minutes, but both victims were pronounced dead after being found inside the home. Their names and ages have not yet been released.

Neighbors told reporters the family who lived there kept the property tidy and were known as friendly faces on the block. One nearby resident said her grandson was close with a young person from the home and worried that relatives out of the country may not yet know what happened.

As firefighters and investigators worked at the scene, NJ Transit brought in a bus so residents could stay warm in the cold holiday night. The American Red Cross said volunteers assisted a family of eight with emergency financial help for short-term housing, food, and other basic needs after the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and no additional details about the victims or how the blaze started had been released as of early Friday, November 28, 2025.

This article is based solely on information released by authorities and reporting from on-scene outlets. The Garden State Gazette will update this story if officials provide more verified details.