Funeral services set for Plainfield Firefighter Marques Hudson
A funeral service celebrating the life of Plainfield Firefighter Marques Hudson who died last week battling an Emerson Avenue house blaze has been scheduled Saturday at Plainfield High School.
Buckland Funeral Home in Somerville announced Monday on its website that the viewing for Hudson, 32, will be held 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the high school, 950 Park Ave.
The Celebration of Life service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at the high school. The notice of the funeral arrangements included a photo of Hudson in his fire uniform.
Hudson's obituary has not yet been posted on the website. Hudson joined the Plainfield Fire Department in December 2021.
City officials have said this is Plainfield's first line-of-duty death in recent memory. Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order Monday ordering U.S. and state flags to fly at half-staff Friday to honor Hudson.
"Marques Hudson was a courageous young man and public servant dedicated to protecting his community," Murphy said in a statement. "I extend my deepest sympathy to his family, friends, and fellow members of the Plainfield Fire Department. May Marques Hudson's exceptional bravery and sacrifice live on, and we will continue to pray that all injured firefighters make a swift and full recovery."
"The community of Plainfield grieves the passing of Firefighter Marques Hudson, a genuine hero. We are indebted to him in a way that words cannot fully express. His impact will persist, serving as a perpetual source of inspiration and guidance for us in the days ahead," stated a post on the city’s Facebook page with the hashtag Remembering A Hero.
Hudson reported to work at 8 a.m. Friday and shortly after the fire department responded to a house fire on Emerson Avenue.
According to Mayor Adrian Mapp, around 8:25 a.m. city officials were notified that Hudson had been injured after apparently falling through the floor or down the stairs. The circumstances remain under investigation, Mapp said.
There was a mayday call, and four firefighters went in and got Hudson out within minutes before he was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital where the father of three later died, despite efforts by medical staff who tried to revive him for more than an hour, the mayor said.
Three other firefighters were injured in the fire and taken to the hospital. Mapp said their injuries were not life-threatening.
On Friday the president of the New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association said conditions can change quickly in their line of work and while firefighters adapt, sometimes tragedies like this become a reality.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Mapp said about 10 people lived in the two-family home. Photos from the scene showed damage at the rear of the house, particularly on the third floor, while the front of the house appeared to be intact.
Besides his children, city officials said Hudson is survived by his mother, sister and brother.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Plainfield NJ Firefighter Marques Hudson funeral services set
