A 60-year-old man is missing Sunday after a fire destroyed a mixed-use apartment building in Paterson, officials said.
The fire was reported to officials shortly after 3 a.m. in the 100 block of Broadway and required a mutual aid response, said Jerry Speziale, Paterson’s public safety director. The property is a commercial building with residential units above, officials said.
The fire was extinguished by Sunday 3:00 p.m., but fire personnel remained on scene to keep an eye out for hotspots, according to officials.
The “massive” eight-alarm fire displaced 17 people, Speziale said.
The American Red Cross of New Jersey did not immediately respond Sunday to requests for comment on temporary relocation for residents.
After the blaze, authorities were notified by the building’s owner that one person was unaccounted for, a white male in his 60s, Speziale said. The man’s identity is known, but not immediately being publicized.
“They can’t get in contact with him,” Speziale said.
A contractor is “methodically” taking the building down, authorities said.
“We’re hoping people scattered because of the flames and we just can’t get in touch with them for right now,” said Speziale.
“We’re all praying that that’s going to be the case,” said Speziale.
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NJ Advance Media fellow Nyah Marshall contributed to this report.
Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com.
