House fire in Woodland Park injures firefighter and resident, displaces 6

Mayor Tracy Kallert says six people were home at the time of the fire - two adults and a baby upstairs, and three adults downstairs, but everyone escaped.

Matt Trapani and Amanda Eustice

Oct 21, 2024, 4:33 PM

Updated 40 days ago

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The American Red Cross is helping two families displaced when a fire ripped through their home in Passaic County.
Flames flew and dark plumes of smoke filled the sky above Marcellus Avenue in Woodland Park Monday morning. The two-family home caught fire just before 8 a.m. Luckily, everyone inside - including a baby - made it out safely.
“The fire was too advanced to get up to the second floor,” says Assistant West Paterson Fire Chief Andrew Roehrich. Paid and volunteer fire departments from across the county came to put out the flames. Borough officials say a Paterson firefighter was sent to the hospital for shoulder pain, as well as a resident for chest pains.
The Woodland Park mayor says six people lived in the two-family home. A baby and two adults lived upstairs, and three adults lived downstairs.
Officials and community members are now pitching in to help. Donations of gift cards and baby items are being collected at the municipal building to help those who lost everything.
"People are reaching out already…We do need baby items because there is a 2-year-old baby. They pretty much lost everything. Like when I say they have the clothes on their back that's it,” says Mayor Tracey Kallert.
Officials believe the fire started outside of the home and spread. The exact cause remains under investigation.