Four residents were rescued as fast-moving fire ravaged three multi-family homes on the evening of June 23rd in Passaic. Around 9 p.m.,  companies were dispatched to 5 High Street. When Battalion Chief Kovacs arrived, he had heavy fire already showing and transmitted a second alarm. As first due companies arrived, two residents were rescued from a fire escape and two more from the roof of one of the burning buildings. As the fire extended to the attached dwellings, a third alarm was struck bringing mutual aid companies to the scene. As heavy fire was involving the top floor, Clifton Ladder 3 went into operation with their ladder pipe in the rear of the building. Firefighters were evacuated from the building and an outside operation commenced. Outside master streams from three ladders went into operation to knock down the heavy fire.

After the heavy fire was knocked down, firefighters went back inside at one point but were again evacuated due to a partial collapse of the structure. They had the main body of the fire knocked down in a little over an hour. Three firefighters were injured and in good condition after being hospitalized. No other injuries were reported in the fire. Mutual aid from Clifton, Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Garfield, Hackensack, Paterson, Rutherford and Wallington assisted on the scene. The North Jersey Fire Canteen Support Unit provided rehab, assisted by County Wide.

One man said he was passing by and saw the smoke coming from the building. “I ran inside the building, I started banging on the doors saying ‘fire, fuego.’ I went all the way upstairs trying to get as many people as I possibly could. By the time I did that, then firefighters arrived,” good Samaritan James Czerwinski said.