EAST ORANGE, NJ - The bright, sunny Sunday afternoon quiet was broken as flames consumed the upper floors and roof of a four-story OMD on May 14th.

EOFD companies were dispatched to 33 Beech Street at about 2:45 P.M. for a report of flames and smoke from a structure. On arrival, heavy fire was venting from the top floor of a vacant four-story brick. A second-alarm was immediately transmitted as companies stretched to attack the flames. Within 10 minutes the fire had extended into the cockloft and the decision was made to back all members out and go defensive. Exposure buildings, large two-and-a-half story frame structures on both sides were protected as flames eventually broke through the roof and spread across the top floor and roof from back to front.

Three elevated master streams, including a ladder pipe from Montclair Truck 1 which was squeezed in a narrow driveway in the rear, were put into operation. After several hours, the fire was knocked down and held to the building of origin. Mutual aid units from Bloomfield, Montclair, Irvington and Orange worked beside East Orange firefighters to quell the flames. No injuries were reported.