Passaic NJ 7th Alarm, 684 Main Ave. 07-23-17
At 21:43 on July 23rd 2017 Passaic Fire Dept under the command of Acting Battalion 3 Adam Alberti responded to the area of 201 Washington Pl for reports of smoke. Upon arrival of L-2 from the east side firehouse several minutes later, the officer reported a working fire with heavy smoke and fire visible from the corrected address, 684 Main Ave in Bruno's Pizza. The pizza shop was one of two businesses on the 1st floor of a 3 story ordinary constructed building measuring @75' X 200'.
Access to the fire was delayed by roll up security doors and once they were opened companies encountered heavy fire thru-out the pizza shop and already extending to the upper floors. A 2nd alarm was requested right after arrival quickly followed by a 3rd and 4th alarms which brought all city co's as well as mutual aid to the scene with additional mutual aid companies covering the city. With a heavy fire condition which continued to rapidly spread, command ordered all members out of the building as thick black smoke poured from the upper floors and the roof while companies in the rear reported heavy fire visible on all floors and breaking through the roof. At times the smoke condition was so heavy that the entire front of the building and street were completely obscured which further hampered operations. A collapse zone was established after the roof collapsed and at least one engine co was assigned to ember patrol.
As the fire continued to progress, the 5th, 6th and eventually 7th alarms were sounded, 7 aerial streams, 1 deck gun and numerous hand lines and ground monitors were put into operation and the main body of fire was finally knocked down almost 2-1/2 hours after the initial alarm, companies did a fantastic job in keeping the fire from spreading past the building of origin despite the heavy fire conditions and exposures tightly packed around it. Several firefighters suffered minor and non-life threatening injuries, mostly smoke inhalation.
The fire was placed under control at 02:36 hours by Deputy Chief Roman however hot spots continued to flare up and the the fire dept maintained a presence on the scene until the afternoon of 7/25. The cause of the fire is under investigation, however there was a delay in the fire being reported due to the security doors which hid the fire and allowed it to grow substantially until it was finally discovered.
Read MoreAccess to the fire was delayed by roll up security doors and once they were opened companies encountered heavy fire thru-out the pizza shop and already extending to the upper floors. A 2nd alarm was requested right after arrival quickly followed by a 3rd and 4th alarms which brought all city co's as well as mutual aid to the scene with additional mutual aid companies covering the city. With a heavy fire condition which continued to rapidly spread, command ordered all members out of the building as thick black smoke poured from the upper floors and the roof while companies in the rear reported heavy fire visible on all floors and breaking through the roof. At times the smoke condition was so heavy that the entire front of the building and street were completely obscured which further hampered operations. A collapse zone was established after the roof collapsed and at least one engine co was assigned to ember patrol.
As the fire continued to progress, the 5th, 6th and eventually 7th alarms were sounded, 7 aerial streams, 1 deck gun and numerous hand lines and ground monitors were put into operation and the main body of fire was finally knocked down almost 2-1/2 hours after the initial alarm, companies did a fantastic job in keeping the fire from spreading past the building of origin despite the heavy fire conditions and exposures tightly packed around it. Several firefighters suffered minor and non-life threatening injuries, mostly smoke inhalation.
The fire was placed under control at 02:36 hours by Deputy Chief Roman however hot spots continued to flare up and the the fire dept maintained a presence on the scene until the afternoon of 7/25. The cause of the fire is under investigation, however there was a delay in the fire being reported due to the security doors which hid the fire and allowed it to grow substantially until it was finally discovered.
