Dozens displaced in ‘very intense’ Passaic fire: Mayor

PASSAIC, N.J. (PIX11) – Dozens of people were displaced after a fire in Passaic Saturday afternoon that brought the roof of a building crashing down, according to Passaic Mayor Hector Lora. 

The fire broke out around 1:15 p.m. on School Street, according to Lora. Some 90 firefighters responded to the five-alarm fire, which was “very stubborn” and tough to put out given the hot and humid weather, according to Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost. 

“It is a very tough day to fight a fire,” Trentacost said in a Facebook live video. 

Two firefighters and one resident were hospitalized in stable condition, Lora said. The Red Cross set up a temporary shelter at Muhammad Ali School No. 23 on Dayton Avenue for people displaced in the fire.

Neighboring buildings on School Street have been deemed uninhabitable, meaning around 70 people have been displaced by the fire, Lora said.

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