Deadly storm slams New Jersey, hard-hit town cancels 4th of July celebration

A deadly storm with winds topping 60 mph tore through central New Jersey, forcing one town to cancel its Fourth of July celebrations.

Thursday night’s severe thunderstorm killed at least three people: one in North Plainfield and two in Plainfield, about 30 miles west of New York, ABC New York station WABC reported.

The Plainfield fatalities were 79-year-old Rocco Sansone and 25-year-old Brian Ernesto Valladares, who died when a tree fell on their car, according to the city.

“Our hearts are heavy,” Mayor Adrian O. Mapp said in a statement. “We mourn with the families and stand ready to support them in every way possible.”

Plainfield is under a state of emergency, with the mayor saying the “devastating storm” left “deep scars.”

Homes and cars have been damaged and some houses are structurally compromised from fallen trees, city officials said. Over 80 trees were knocked down, including many that are blocking roads or are entangled with power lines, officials said.

“In light of this tragedy, we cannot, in good conscience, proceed with our Fourth of July parade, concert, or fireworks,” the mayor said in a statement overnight. “This is not a time for celebration. It is a time to regroup and focus all our energy on recovery.”

“There will be a time to celebrate again, to raise our flags and enjoy the joys of community,” the mayor said. “But right now, we must come together to clean up, to support one another, and to begin the work of rebuilding.”

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