Four-alarm Paterson fire spreads to neighboring homes. One man rescued
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Paterson firefighters rescued a man from a burning home as they battled a four-alarm fire on Warren Street on Sunday morning.
The fire originated at 113 Warren St., but by 9:30 it had caused "heavy damage" to 115 Warren St. and "significant damage" to 111 Warren St., said Paterson Fire Chief Brian McDermott. Damage was also caused to the home at 117 Warren St., the chief said.
The homes on the street have very little or no property separating them, allowing the fire to spread.
The neighboring two-family home at 115 Warren St. is "a loss," said its owner, Laquine Johnson, at the scene of the fire. He had eight tenants in the home's two apartments, he said. He spoke with the tenants, who were "really down" and waiting to speak to Red Cross representatives who were there.
Johnson, 24, said he bought the home in May as an investment and spent $70,000 in renovations that are all "gone now." His home was scheduled to be appraised next week for resale value. He said he'll reach out to his insurance company and hopes all the work will be covered. "This is my biggest investment so far," he said.
The cause of the fire is unknown, McDermott said, adding that the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office arson unit is investigating to determine the origin, which is routine.
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The fire was reported at 7:47 a.m. Firefighters arrived and rescued a man from the home where the fire started, McDermott said. He said he did not know the condition of the resident. A firefighter was taken to St. Joseph's University Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries caused by the fire. No other injuries were reported.
Our volunteers responded to a multi-family fire on Warren St. in #Paterson, helping 30 people from 8 families, providing Red Cross emergency assistance for temporary lodging, food and clothing needs. pic.twitter.com/7VeJtd5CPZ
— Red Cross New Jersey (@NJRedCross) January 9, 2022
Eight families were displaced by the fire. McDermott said the Red Cross and the Paterson Police Department were at the scene to assist the 29 residents of the homes.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Four-alarm Paterson fire Sunday spreads to neighboring homes
