Paterson NJ 3rd Alarm, 581-583 River St, 02-13-14

At just after 19:00 on Thursday Feberuary 13th 2014, Paterson NJ Fire Dept responded for a reported building fire at 583 River St, while enroute co's were advised of possible entrapment and on arrival found a working fire with fire showing from the 3rd floor windows of the 3 story brick apt building with a commercial establishment on the 1st floor. A 2nd alarm was requested immediately upon arrival of the battalion chief as companies started an interior attack. Fire was also found on the 2nd floor and extending into the cockloft and as conditions deteriorated, a 3rd alarm was requested by Deputy 3 and all members were withdrawn from the building. After a quick defensive attack it appeared co's were making headway and an interior attack was re-established but as heavy fire started venting thru the roof and fire now in exposure B, an attached similar building, all members were ordered out and an exterior attack was set up with 2 ladder pipes, 2 deck guns and several 2-1/2" hand lines. Firefighters had to contend with not only a heavy fire condition on arrival but almost a foot of snow which had fallen during the day, heavy rain which was falling at the time of the fire, icing conditions, buried hydrants and narrow streets but were successful in keeping the fire from extending into exposure D, 2 firefighters suffered minor injuries, all civilians were accounted for and the fire took approximately 6 hours to be extinguished.