Newark residents allowed back home after flood damage

NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11) -- Newark residents of 333 Park Avenue were allowed back in their homes Wednesday evening.

The Office of Emergency Management and Red Cross were on hand outside the building Wednesday evening to provide help as residents returned home. 

According to OEM officials on scene, a drain pipe on the roof became clogged with debris, flooding the roof and breaching the roof door Sunday night. Officials say the roof did not collapse, as previously reported. 

When asked how Newark OEM determined the building was safe to return to, Newark Public Safety Officer spokesperson Catherine Adams said:

“Code Enforcement required the building’s owner to obtain a report from the City’s Engineering Department to confirm that the building was safe for tenants to return. The building’s owner was also advised to ensure that the drain pipe on the roof remains unclogged to avoid a similar incident of water backing up on the roof in the future. Code Enforcement and the City’s Engineering Department are working with the building’s owners to confirm the completion of secondary repairs. No further information is available.”