Paterson fire displaces 51 people from their homes
By Jonathan Greene
Published: June 25, 2019
A massive fire broke out at a house on Summer Street and spread to other homes early Tuesday morning, displacing 51 people, according to the American Red Cross.
Firefighters responded to a report of a fire at 480 Summer Street at around 1:23 a.m. Upon arrival, firefighters found two houses were burning. Fire quickly spread to two other homes, reaching fifth alarm.
Five firefighters sustained injuries in battling the blaze, said deputy fire chief Pablo Del Valle. He said all five were taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center for treatment.
No civilians were injured, fire officials said.
“It really is very stewy out here and it’s taken down our firefighters,” fire chief Brian McDermott told ABC7. “So, they are working hard, I just want to make sure they are all safe.”
Four houses were badly damaged in the fire in the tight neighborhood where houses are extremely close to each other.
12 other properties sustained minor fire damage, said the deputy chief.
Cause of the fire is still under investigation, fire officials said.