NEW JERSEY – More than five dozen people were forced out of their apartments on Friday morning when a devastating fire struck an apartment building in Passaic.
Smoke and fire were reported in Passaic around 2am for what would later become a nightmare glowing 4-alarm response. This required the response of multiple firefighters rushing into the 3-tier structure.
Investigators believe that everyone who lived within the building’s 24 units were able to exit the building safely and without injury. However, some of the firefighters who responded sustained minor injuries, authorities said.
The New Jersey Red Cross said 66 people in the building, located on the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Madison Street, were assisted. On Friday morning a shelter was opened on PS 23 to accommodate such a large group.
Authorities were still counting people affected by the fire hours after sunrise and suspected that the number of displaced tenants might exceed the 66 reported by the Red Cross.
There was no immediate information on the cause of the fire. An investigation is underway.
