🚨 Massive 5-Alarm Fire Rips Through Paterson Factory Overnight
Paterson lit up Friday night after a massive fire tore through a vacant factory on Piercy Street. Around 11:30 p.m., crews arrived to heavy flames already pushing through the building at an old mill complex. Within minutes, the situation escalated from a third alarm to a full five-alarm fire, bringing in firefighters from across Passaic County.
Crews were forced into a defensive battle, attacking the fire from the outside as conditions worsened.
⚠️ The site wasn’t just any building
Past reports from the EPA and NJDEP showed the property once held hundreds of drums with unknown substances, forcing firefighters to move carefully before pushing in.
By 1:20 a.m., crews started gaining ground — but not without challenges.
The massive structure, estimated at 200 by 300 feet, suffered heavy damage, including a partial wall collapse into the street. Ladder trucks surrounded the scene as crews poured water nonstop to contain the flames.
By around 4:40 a.m., most of the fire was knocked down, but hotspots remained — including areas impacted by compromised gas lines.
PSE&G shut down power to nearby blocks to help crews secure the scene.
Firefighters also checked a nearby vacant building after reports of smoke, but no additional fire was found.
No serious injuries have been reported.
The cause is still under investigation, and the EPA has been notified as officials continue assessing the site.