Fireworks Set J.Lo's Bronx Home Ablaze

By Stephen M. Silverman

Monday July 21, 2003 01:00 AM EDT

Jennifer Lopez's childhood home in the Bronx -- where she reportedly dreamed of stardom and her family lived until they sold it in 1999 -- caught fire last Thursday after fireworks landed on the roof, reports New York's Daily News.

The yellow, two-story residence, at 2210 Blackrock Ave. in the Castle Rock section of the New York borough, was hit at about 2:30 p.m., officials tell the paper. There were no injuries.

The Lopez family sold the house four years ago to a couple, "but everyone knows that was Jennifer's house," the star's aunt, Myrza Rodriguez, tells the Daily News. "Everybody knows that's where she lived."

The aunt added that Lopez, 33, was not informed of the blaze. "My sister is going up to Vancouver this weekend to be with her," Rodriguez said, "and she'll tell her then." (J.Lo is there shooting her new film, "Shall We Dance.")

The current owner, Rookmin Arjune, 52, a housekeeper, says, "Yes, we're going to rebuild. ... The J.Lo room is perfect. It just lost its windows."

The Arjunes' daughter, Julie, 26, now lives in J.Lo's old bedroom. "I never mentioned it to anybody," she said of the house's heritage. "It was no big deal."