Several families displaced and 3 firefighters injured in Passaic fire

Several families were displaced and three firefighters were sent to the hospital Sunday night as a fire ripped through four homes in Passaic, officials said.

Firefighters first arrived at High St. around 9 p.m., according to Mayor Hector C. Lora, who was updating residents from the scene by way of Facebook livestreams throughout the night.

Around 11:30 p.m., Lora reported that the fire was under control but that firefighters were still moving in and out of the building to ensure that the flames were all extinguished.

As of Monday afternoon, officials said that the residents of 3 High St. can safely return home, but the properties at 5, 7 and 9 High Street have been condemned as unsafe, leaving 29 people from five families displaced.

The displaced individuals are being temporarily housed at Passaic Muhammad Ali School No. 23 as relocation efforts from the New Jersey Red Cross are ongoing.

Four people were rescued during the blaze after being stranded on the roofs of two different properties, officials said. More than 50 individuals were evacuated from an adjacent building, according to Lora, but they were later able to re-enter.

Firefighters from Passaic and Bergen counties responded to the three-alarm fire. Three firefighters, including two from Passaic and one from Carlstadt, were sent to the hospital, two due to heat exhaustion and one with a shoulder injury.

One family suffered a loss of a pet dog due to smoke inhalation. There were no resident injuries or fatalities as a result of the fire.

"I want to thank the firefighters from Bergen County, from Passaic County, obviously the immediate response of our Passaic firefighters resulted in the rescuing of lives," said Lora during a Sunday night livestream. "Material things can be replaced, but not life, and I am so very grateful to them."

"Our community has shown great strength and resilience during this challenging time," the mayor said on Monday. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family who lost their beloved dog. We remain committed to supporting all displaced and affected residents."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Several families displaced and 3 firefighters injured in Passaic fire