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Article and photos by Ron Jeffers
A fire that went to five-alarms sent acrid smoke throughout the east side of the city of Passaic, New Jersey. The fire sent three firefighters to the hospital and displaced approximately 80 area residents on April 11, 2017.
City fire companies were dispatched to a reported fire on First Street at 10:13 p.m. Dispatch notified responding units that they were receiving numerous phone calls. Deputy Chief Joe Cajzser followed up with a radio report of smoke in the area. Firefighters found the smoke emerging from behind roll-up security doors of a one-story ordinary commercial structure at 88 First Street. The security doors hampered immediate access to the building, which was used a s a distribution company and loaded with stock and 55-gallon drums.
Deputy Chief Cajzer transmitted a second alarm for the remaining city companies, and he later called in additional alarms. Those alarms dispatched fire companies from several Passaic and Bergen County municipalities to the scene. As the fire grew in intensity, flames broke through the roof and a huge column of smoke rose into the sky. Smoke traveled over numerous municipalities, triggering alarms of fire to be transmitted for a smoke conditions.
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Flames also extended to an OMD behind the fire building, where some 30 residents were displaced. Occupants of other structures were also evacuated. Firefighters were ordered out of the main fire building and off of the roof, for a defensive operation. As the flames rose high into the sky, Passaic Ladder Co.’s 1 and 2 set up ladder pipes along with a tower ladder from East Rutherford on First Street. Clifton Ladder 3 had a ladder pipe operation in the rear.
At 1:13 a.m. firefighters were making some progress with the stubborn fire and some mutual aid companies were released from the scene. City firefighters remained overnight to extinguish deep seated pockets of fire that would flare up from time to time. Officials said the firefighters that were taken to the hospital were treated for smoke inhalation and later released.
Residents that were evacuated were taken to a recreation center and assisted by local officials and the Red Cross.
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