December 11, 2026, is a day that Chelsea Constance will never forget. When she went to sleep in her East Orange apartment on Saturday night, she never imagined she would experience one of the scariest mornings of her life.

A light sleeper, Chelsea was awoken early Sunday by the yelling and cries of “fire” throughout the building. She quickly opened her apartment door and was stunned.

_{^{“I saw nothing but blackness,” Chelsea said. “I tried twice to go down the hallway to escape but had to turn back. I just couldn’t breathe.”}}

For several minutes, which felt like a lifetime, Chelsea frantically paced from her front door to her window until the East Orange Fire Department arrived.

“They got there very quickly and saved us,” she said.

Chelsea, along with dozens of her neighbors from the six-story apartment building on Washington Avenue, were taken to several area hospitals. Chelsea was released later that evening and arrived at the Red Cross shelter set up at the Fellowship Civic Center in East Orange.

Still wearing her hospital bracelet and carrying only a backpack, Chelsea walked into the shelter and was led to a dining area where Red Cross volunteers served her a hot meal of meatballs, mashed potatoes and vegetables. After that, she was checked in and brought to the dormitory. The volunteers then handed her two blankets and a comfort kit filled with toiletries like a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo and socks – things that people often take for granted. Chelsea was overwhelmed by the kindness.

_{^{“Knowing that there are people here to take care of us and give us things we need is comforting. I’m so grateful,” Chelsea said.}}

“The day has been so hectic with people yelling – the fire department, my neighbors, the hospital was so hectic and loud. When I got here, the volunteers smiled at me. Its calm and quiet and now I feel normal.”

The next morning, Chelsea woke up and enjoyed breakfast. After lunch she headed out to make the drive to stay with family in New York state.

On Sunday morning, the Red Cross Disaster Action Team responded to a large fire at a 31-unit apartment building in East Orange. At least 80 people were displaced. The Red Cross first opened a reception center for the residents to gather for warmth and get something to eat. Later that afternoon, the center was transitioned into a Red Cross temporary shelter for those needing a place to stay.

Sixteen people in seven families stayed at the shelter Sunday night and others are welcome to enjoy meals while they learn more information about their rentals or plan their next steps toward recovery. Red Cross volunteers continue to help the families with health services like replacement of medications and just as they had with Chelsea – they continue to serve up a meal with a smile and provide a little bit of calm to help their neighbors get through a difficult time.