5 DEAD — INCLUDING 3 CHILDREN — IN TRAGIC HALLOWEEN NIGHT FIRE IN PATERSON

A devastating house fire in Paterson on Halloween night claimed the lives of five people, including three children, authorities said.

Shortly before 10 p.m. Friday, firefighters were dispatched to 15 Emerson Avenue after multiple 911 callers reported a home engulfed in flames and people trapped inside, the Paterson Fire Department said in a statement.

Fire Chief Alex Alicea said the blaze spread rapidly from the lower floor throughout the home, fueled by strong winds in the area, according to an ABC News report.

When crews entered the structure, they found five victims—two adults and three children—on the second floor. Despite rescue efforts, all were pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.

The children were 14, 12, and 7 years old, and the adults were a 39-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, according to CBS New York, citing the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.

Two firefighters were also taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center for evaluation and have since been released, officials said.

Chief Alicea noted that several other residents survived but were left displaced by the fire. The American Red Cross is providing emergency assistance to those affected.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation by local and county authorities.