ORANGE — At approximately 4:07 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, 2025, a resident reported smoke and flames coming from a neighboring home at 41 Rogers Avenue, according to the Orange Fire Department.
In response, on-duty crews struck a first alarm, calling in all off-duty and on-call personnel.
Additional calls were received, and the incident was upgraded to a working fire, prompting a mutual aid response and station coverage. Orange police arrived on scene and confirmed that no one was home at the time.
Upon arrival, crews encountered heavy fire at the front and side of the building, with thick smoke visible from all sides.
Flames tear through a wooden deck and back entrance during a fire that rendered a Rogers Avenue home a total loss. (Photo Credit: Orange Fire Rescue) 
Two firefighters wearing breathing masks stand inside a burned-out window, surrounded by blackened walls and heavy smoke. (Photo Credit: Orange Fire Rescue) 
Smoke and flames pour from a residence in Orange during an intense structure fire on Sunday afternoon. (Photo Credit: Orange Fire Rescue) 
Princeton and Orange firefighters conduct overhaul operations after extinguishing a fire that destroyed a home on Rogers Avenue. (Photo Credit: Orange Fire Rescue) 
The residence on Rogers Avenue that Orange Fire Rescue responded to on Sunday. (Photo Credit: Orange Fire Rescue) 
Thick smoke and flames erupt from the side of a house with firefighters aiming a hose at the fire. (Photo Credit: Orange Fire Rescue)
Crews coordinated an interior and exterior attack to suppress the fire, the Orange Fire Department said. As additional personnel arrived, they worked to bring the blaze under control and began the overhaul process to check for remaining hot spots and hidden fire.
Two dogs and three cats died in the blaze. One firefighter sustained minor injuries from falling debris, was evaluated by Wood’s Ambulance, but did not require hospital transport.
All units cleared the scene at approximately 9:15 p.m.
The cause of the fire is under joint investigation by Troopers assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Orange Fire Department.
The home was deemed a total loss, and the residents are currently staying with family and friends.
