About 70 firefighters help put out blaze that damaged 2 Middlesex homes

Two Middlesex Borough families have been displaced following a three-alarm fire that gutted two neighboring homes this morning.

Police confirmed the fire started in a garage and spread to another home on West Second Street around 2:30 a.m. The garage is completely destroyed.

News 12 New Jersey was told everyone came out okay. The Red Cross says it is helping a family of two by providing emergency assistance in the form of temporary housing, food and clothing. A family of five, including three children and a dog, was also affected. The homeowner told News 12 their smoke detectors woke them up.

Both families were able to salvage a few items from inside before orange notices of imminent danger were placed on their doors.

Mutual aid from several neighboring towns responded to the scene. About 70 firefighters and more than a dozen fire trucks from 15 different departments helped put out the blaze.

John Madden, the former mayor of Middlesex, applauded the firefighters' response.

“It's amazing. Thank God there were no injuries here, even to the pets. But it's such a spectacular fire, and I know all fire departments are hurting for their volunteers. They do a wonderful job with every structure fire,” Madden said.

Police and firefighters searched the rubble this morning. The cause of the fire is still not known. Authorities do not believe the fire is suspicious.