Photo: WCBS
On July 1, 2010, flames engulfed a house at 465 East 31st Street in Paterson, killing four people - including a woman who jumped from the second floor, according to media reports.
Three other people were injured. Public Safety Director Glenn Brown called the early morning fire one of the deadliest since an arsonist killed 14 people at the Alexander Hamilton Hotel in 1984, according to NorthJersey.com. The dwelling had been cited by the city for electrical code violations earlier in the year.
According to the Paterson Fire Department web site:
"First arriving units encountered a 2 1/2 story wood frame house fully involved with fire, with extension into 463 and 467 E 31st St. Due to reports of numerous occupants trapped in the fire buildings, a 2nd and 3rd alarms were transmitted, bringing all of Paterson’s manpower and equipment to the scene.
"Rescue 2 along with Ladder 1 entered the rear of 465 E 31 St. to initiate a primary search but were driven back by the intense heat and heavy smoke conditions. Interior attacks were deployed in both 463 E 31 St. and 467 E 31 St. by additional units. It took over 3 hours for this fire to be brought under control."
Paterson received mutual aid from other fire departments.
