Photos and story by Ron Jeffers
A fast moving fire tore through as row of tightly exposed dwellings in densely populated Union City, New Jersey, on January 23, 2014, leaving approximately 50 people homeless.
Residents, some clad only in bed clothes, were running out of 519-19th Street, a three-story wood-frame occupied multiple dwelling (OMD) with brick veneer, into 10-degree weather, around 11:30 p.m. North Hudson (NJ) Regional Fire Department First Battalion Chief Anthony Venezia was first to arrive and reported a working fire and immediately struck a second-alarm as he observed the fire extending into Exposure B–another three-story wood-frame dwelling. Flames then exploded out of the third-floor windows, breaking glass and sending embers down into the street where escaping residents screamed in panic. Flames in Exposure B began to extend to Exposure B-1, another wood-frame dwelling, and a third-alarm was transmitted.
Firefighters began an interior attack, but the flames were fast-moving and dropping to lower floors. Exterior streams were put to work, including a ladder pipe and deck gun. Freezing water quickly covered the street and sidewalk opposite the fire where the command post was set up. A stream of water hit the command board and immediately covered it with a sheet of ice, making it inoperable.
Fourth and fifth alarms were transmitted, which brought mutual aid companies from Jersey City, Hoboken, and Bayonne to the scene. Flames also extended to Exposure D, a two-story wood frame dwelling attached to the original fire building. During this time, another working fire was transmitted on the 1100 block of New York Avenue in an OMD. North Hudson Squad 1 and companies from Harrison and Secaucus quickly knocked down this fire.
Some of the residents watched their homes burn, while others were transported to a nearby school for shelter and help from the Red Cross.
Despite streets and buildings being covered with ice, there were only minor injuries to several firefighters. A sixth alarm was struck for relief purposes.
“Firefighters are tough and do the best they can,” said Chief of Department Frank Montagne.
See more photos from this fire HERE.
For more exposure protection, consider Protecting exposures and Drill of the Week: Protecting Exposures.
