Paterson furniture store catches fire, firefighters injured
Officials said it happened just before 7 p.m. on Market Street at Modela Furniture.
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Crews responded Sunday night to a five-alarm fire at a furniture store near City Hall in Paterson.
Officials said it happened just before 7 p.m. on Market Street at Modela Furniture.
There was significant attention to the building’s roof and its basement.
Two firefighters were injured. Mayor Andre Sayegh said one fell while entering the basement and another was hospitalized for dehydration. Both were treated and released from the hospital.
Sunday coverage
The fire was contained in about an hour, but hazy, maze-like conditions made it hard to locate its source, Sayegh said.
“In the basement was a vault, so the firefighters could not enter because it was designed to catch anyone who was trying to rob the bank, and the vault would’ve closed on them,” he said.
Crews drilled a hole from the first floor to reach the basement fire, he added.
The building, once a bank, posed challenges due to its original structure and a partially compromised sprinkler system, Sayegh said. The store is closed with cardboard over the glass doors and a note promising a reopening soon.
Location was alsoa concern because the neighboring store sells e-bikes that contain lithium-ion batteries.
"I give a lot of credit to our firefighters, because they’ve been able to contain the fire," Sayegh said. "If it spreads to the e-bikes, we’re talking about lithium batteries, a potential explosion.”
Crews went back inside the building on Monday to investigate, particularly in the basement area, according to the city.
