27 sisters, 2 priests safely evacuated from fire

NEW JERSEY (FOX5NY) - Authorities say 27 religious sisters and two priests were evacuated as fire swept through a building in their 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 newspaper the fire was sparked by a compressor in an adjacent building and the flames spread to the top floor of the residence through an elevator shaft.

SkyFoxHD was flying over the tri-state region when it came across smoke billowing from the building belonging to the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.

Some of the retired clergy were taken away on stretchers. There were no reports of injuries.

Several cars appeared to have been burned in the flames.