Wednesday, April 12, 2017 05:41AM
PASSAIC, New Jersey (WABC) -- A smoky five-alarm fire that started in a commercial building in Passaic forced evacuations Tuesday night.
The fire started inside a one-story building on First Street just after 10 p.m.
Several firefighters sustained minor injuries. It was under control by 4:30 a.m.
Passaic Mayor Hector Lora, in a video on Facebook, said residents who live in apartments from 83 to 93 Market St., should seek shelter at city hall.
He also said there was a localized power outage in the area.
The Passaic Valley Water Commission put out an alert late Tuesday on Twitter to advise customers that they can expect poor pressure and discolored water.
=========
PASSAIC, New Jersey
A five-alarm fire that began in a warehouse late Tuesday forced several people out of their homes and into shelters, according to multiple reports.
The fire began just after 10 p.m. in the structure on First Street. The blaze was not under control until 4:30 a.m., according to 7online.com.
A roof collapsed before the fire spread to the apartments on Market Street, according to Mayor Hector Lora, who posted a video on Facebook.
============
PASSAIC — A five-alarm blaze ripped through a food warehouse in Passaic overnight, leaving three firefighters injured and about 80 neighbors displaced from nearby homes, officials said.
It took more than three hours to bring the fire in the single-story commercial building under control, fire crews said.
Three firefighters were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, one case severe, but they were released early Wednesday morning, said Walter Porto, the city's Office of Emergency Management coordinator.
The fire, which was first reported by a passer-by about 10:15 p.m., started in a distribution company building at 88 First Street, Porto said. It quickly spread to buildings on Market Street, displacing 30 families.
The initial call about the fire came in from someone who saw smoke when walking by the building. "He didn't have a phone so he ran around the corner and found one and called 911," Porto said.
Passaic Mayor Hector Lora, through a video on Facebook, advised residents at addresses from 83 to 93 Market St. to seek shelter at city hall.
When trying to bring people to the nearby senior center at City Hall, the smoke got heavy and many left, Porto said. About 30 people were on hand at the shelter Wednesday morning.
Flames were visible from blocks away, said resident Steve Peralta, 15.
"I live a few blocks away near the fire station and I heard the alarms so I looked. You could see the orange flames and gray smoke. I thought they would stop it but it just spread," Peralta said.
The Passaic Fire Department continues to hit hot spots with water after a 5th Alarm fire on 1st St Wednesday morning. (Photo: Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com)
The Red Cross announced this morning it is assisting six families who have been displaced due to the fire. The organization's Disaster Action Team was dispatched to the scene and provided 39 people within those six families with temporary lodging, food and clothing. Red Cross volunteers will remain to provide support, counseling and referrals for the families.
The First Street building will be condemned, Porto said. Because of water and smoke damage, the buildings on Market Street will be inaccessible for several days.
Other fire departments, including Clifton, helped at the scene.
The Passaic Valley Water Commission put out an alert late Tuesday on Twitter advising customers to expect poor pressure and discolored water.
Due to the conditions, the investigation into the cause of the blaze won't begin until later Wednesday