NJ Blaze Leaves One Dead, Destroys Three Buildings
One person was found dead and dozens more are without a home after an early morning fire destroyed an apartment building and two adjacent homes, officials said.
Firefighters responded to a blaze at 489 Summer Street after receiving 911 calls around 1:44 a.m., Paterson Fire Chief Brian McDermott said.
The fire quickly spread to the surrounding buildings, which were multi-family homes, McDermott said. About 40 residents are receiving assistance from the Red Cross, the chief said.
Paterson Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale said firefighters located the body of a woman around 10:30 a.m in the wreckage. They did not identify the woman but said they believe she is 53-year-old resident who was reported missing after the fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, McDermott said.
Approximately 120 firefighters from Paterson and neighboring areas responded to the scene. Two of those firefighters were hospitalized with burns. They were both treated and released, McDermott said.
There were no additional reported injuries, he added.
NJ Advance Media reporter Alex Napoliello contributed to this report.
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