Fairview, N.J. - A roaring fire quickly consumed a duplex apartment building on Eighth Street shortly before midnight, March 28^th, bringing in numerous mutual aid fire companies to the scene.

Arriving fire units found a heavy fire condition in the rear of the two story structure, over garages, and quickly called  for mutual aid to assist in firefighting operations.  A large column of smoke was now forming above the building, visible for miles. The first due units assisted in evacuating seven occupants.  One person was suffering from burns, reportedly from trying to extinguish the flames.  

After the occupants were accounted for an aggressive fire attack began. Fire rapidly spread to all floors and threw the roof.  An evacuation of the building was ordered.  Part of the roof later collapsed.  

The defensive attack included four ladder pipes.  Two were set up in front of the building by Fairview and Cliffside Park.  Ladder companies from Fort Lee and Palisades Park drove their rigs into narrow alleyways to set up their ladder pipes on the rear section of the structure.  Hand-lines were used around the structure as well. The stubborn fire took several hours to contain.  Some mutual aid companies were released around 3 a.m. and others remained for overhaul.  It was reported that there were about 60 firefighters on the scene.

Fire companies that operated at the scene, not already mentioned, came from Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Leonia and Ridgefield.  The Teaneck Box 54 Club canteen was also on hand for rehab purposes.