A devastating house fire in Paterson, New Jersey, claimed the lives of five people, including two adults and three children, on Friday night. The blaze broke out at around 9:54 p.m. and spread rapidly due to strong winds in the area.
According to Fire Chief Alex Alicea, the fire started on the lower floor but quickly spread to the second floor, where the five victims were eventually found. "The fire was under heavy wind which contributed to the rapid spread of the fire onto the second floor where, eventually, five victims were found," he said.
Miraculously, 11 other people who lived in the building survived the inferno but are now left without a home due to the blaze. The Red Cross is on scene providing assistance to those affected by the tragedy.
The identities of the five victims have not yet been confirmed, and an investigation into the cause and origin of the fire is ongoing. As the situation continues to unfold, officials urge everyone to stay tuned for further updates.
According to Fire Chief Alex Alicea, the fire started on the lower floor but quickly spread to the second floor, where the five victims were eventually found. "The fire was under heavy wind which contributed to the rapid spread of the fire onto the second floor where, eventually, five victims were found," he said.
Miraculously, 11 other people who lived in the building survived the inferno but are now left without a home due to the blaze. The Red Cross is on scene providing assistance to those affected by the tragedy.
The identities of the five victims have not yet been confirmed, and an investigation into the cause and origin of the fire is ongoing. As the situation continues to unfold, officials urge everyone to stay tuned for further updates.
just can't believe what's happening in this world... a house fire that takes lives of 5 innocent ppl, including kids... no words to describe how devastating this is 
my heart goes out to the families who lost their loved ones, and to those who are left without a home 
hope the Red Cross is able to provide them with all the support they need during this tough time. strong winds can be so destructive, it's just horrific that it spread the fire so fast... 
fingers crossed for a speedy investigation into what happened and how we can prevent such tragedies in the future 
. But, you know, it's also crazy to think about how fast those 11 people escaped with their lives... only to be left without a home now 
. And let's not forget the firefighters who risked everything to save as many lives as possible - they're true heroes 
. Time will help, but for now, I just want to keep spreading love and positivity wherever I can 
.
. I'm keeping all 11 survivors and their families in my thoughts, hoping they get the support and resources they need to rebuild their lives soon. You know, it's crazy how quickly a fire can spread, especially with those strong winds in the area... like, be careful when you're cooking or smoking outside, folks! 
it's just a sobering reminder of how fragile life can be. I'm glad the Red Cross is on scene providing aid to those affected, though - that's some much-needed support 
. I'm sending all my thoughts and prayers to the families of those who perished 
. 11 people are left without a home, can you even imagine? 
. I hope the investigation finds out what caused the fire so we can prevent it from happening again 
. Strong winds in Paterson, NJ must be super crazy 
.
the winds must've been crazy though, thats what made it spread so fast 
anyway, gotta be thinking of all those families affected by this tragedy 
and to think they were just trying to get home after a long day 
. And can we talk about how awesome the Red Cross is, being there to help everyone affected by this tragedy? 
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. I mean, it's always devastating when fires happen, but this one takes the cake. 11 people survived, though, so at least that's something 
. This city was already dealing with enough stuff before this tragedy. 
. it's just one more reminder of how fragile life can be...
it's like they're intentionally trying to ruin people's lives... i mean can't they just chill for a sec? anyway 5 innocent ppl lost their lives and i'm still trying to wrap my head around it 
. the fact that the fire spread so fast due to strong winds is just tragic 
. here's hoping they get all the support they need during this tough time 
how they got out alive, I guess strong winds can be both a blessing and a curse 
. hope the investigation finds out what happened soon, so maybe it can help prevent something like this from happening again... my heart goes out to those families 
. But this is just one of those moments where the past can't save us from the present. We've got to keep moving forward and support each other during times like these 
. It's not just about responding to emergencies, it's about preventing them from happening in the first place 
.