Paterson, NJ - A two-story mill building that was the scene of a multiple-alarm fire back on 12-27-17 caught fire once again on April 23rd, prompting a third-alarm response.

The mid-morning fire started shortly before 10:00 A.M. at 29 McBride Ave. Ext., in the rear of what remained of the mill. The roof had collapsed previously, but the flames traveled up to the top of an approximately 125-year-old wooded water tower. The instability of the tower caused the decision to have operations go defensive. Two tower ladders, a ladder pipe, and multiple hand lines surrounded the building and were able to hold the flames to the original fire building and protect the nearby converted century-old mill structures.

Approximately 15 minutes into the fire, Chief Brian McDermott noticed a homeless man exiting from between the fire building and Exposure 2. He was escorted to EMS to be checked out. It is not know which structure he had come from.

No serious injuries were reported and Paterson FD’s new Haz-Mat/Decon procedures were put in operation. The smoke condition slowly lightened and the fire was placed “PWH” in less than two hours.