PASSAIC, NJ - With thunder, lightning and down pouring rains, firefighters battled a fatal 3rd alarm fire just before New Years. Shortly before 10pm, police received phone calls of a fire at 361 Madison Ave. with people trapped inside.

Police arrived to find people running out of the 4-story apartment building and jumping from the first-floor apartment window where the fire was. Members from a motorcycle club called straight up riders who have their club next door who also helped people get out of windows as smoke began filling the floors. 

Fire units arrived and began removing residents from all floors and stretching hose lines to the first-floor, and located the fire on the first-floor apartment and began knocking the fire down in the kitchen. Firefighters along with police helped remove 7 residents from the fire apartment from their windows. Three were taken to the hospital; a husband and wife were removed in cardiac arrest and taken to the Saint Mary's hospital where the women was pronounced deceased. The husband was later taken to St. Barnabas hospital and remained in CCU. 

A man broke his foot trying to help another resident getting out of the building. The residents were taken to a nearby school for shelter. 

Mutual aid was provided from Clifton, Paterson, Carlstadt, Rutherford, East Rutherford, West Paterson, Totowa, Wallington and Little Falls. 

The Passaic Country Prosecutor's office, Passaic arson and investigation team and fire prevention were all called to the scene. The North Jersey Fire Canteen Support Unit were there to supply coffee to all at the fire.

(Author's note: Thank you Victor and your crew.)