Fire severely damages New Jersey house where MLK stayed

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — A dilapidated house where Martin Luther King Jr. stayed in southern New Jersey has been severely damaged in an early morning fire. Chief Michael Harper of the Camden Fire Department told the Courier-Post that the blaze at the three-story row home was reported shortly after 2:30 a.m. Saturday. A city spokesperson told NJ.com that crews reported heavy flames and a partial roof collapse. No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation. Local activists have for years sought a historic designation and money to restore the structure. The New Jersey Historic Preservation Office, however, rejected a historic designation in 2020, saying there wasn’t enough information to show King was a long-term resident there.