Princeton Nurse, Family Narrowly Escape House Fire

HOWELL, NJ — Jessie and Sean Twerdak spend their days helping those in need.

Now the couple and their 10-month-old daughter are receiving a wave of support from their communities after a fire destroyed their home and all of their belongings on Saturday in Howell.

Jessie Twerdak, a nurse at Penn Medicine Princeton, had just arrived home Saturday afternoon with 10-month-old Abigail after running errands, according to a family friend who spoke with Patch with the family's permission. Sean Twerdak, a Rahway police officer, had just arrived home from work, he said.

As the couple stood in the kitchen talking, they saw smoke rising, apparently from their deck, he said.

As Sean grabbed the fire extinguisher to try to put it out, Jessie grabbed Abigail and then headed downstairs to get the family's golden retriever, Charlie, to get out of the house, he said.

"She could see out her back sliding glass doors flames rolling under her deck, pushing towards her home," a split-level house on Dutch Valley Road in Howell.

Jessie ran out of the house with Abigail and Charlie and found Sean on the phone calling 911.

He initially couldn't get through because neighbors — who had seen the fire and were outside yelling for the Twerdaks to evacuate — were calling to report the fire, the friend said.

The fire consumed the home in a matter of minutes, spreading from the deck to the inside of the house and into the two-car garage, sending flames out of the front and back, he said.

Video shared by Garden State News Network showed the smoke and flames at the home.

Police, who were called shortly before 2 p.m., arrived to find smoke billowing from the back of the house. The flames eventually collapsed the roof and destroyed all of their belongings, the family friend said.

The Rahway PBA created a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with the immediate costs, including housing, food and essentials for Abigail and Charlie.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation on Monday, by the Howell Township Fire Bureau, and Monmouth County Fire Marshal.

Firefighters from the Southard Fire Department, Freewood Acres Fire Company, Squankum Fire Company, Ramtown Fire Company, Jackson Township Fire Department, Lakewood Fire Department and South Wall Fire Company responded, along with Howell Police EMS, and Howell Township First Aid.

"This family has always been there to help others—both in their professional roles and as caring neighbors," the PBA said.

"The emotional and financial toll of such a tragedy is overwhelming, especially with a baby to care for, but together, we can help ease their burden and show them that their community stands behind them," the PBA said.

Those who wish to donate to the GoFundMe can do so online.