Paterson, NJ - Paterson firefighters battled a four-alarm inferno that destroyed three houses and damaged several others late Sunday afternoon, June 14th.

Firefighters were dispatched to the area of 168 Butler Street around 2:20 P.M. for a reported house fire. While en-route, Battalion 4 reported smoke in the area and once on scene found a two-and-a-half story vacant frame fully involved with extension to two other structures.

A second-alarm was transmitted on arrival as the 'Bravo' and 'Delta' exposures became involved with heavy fire conditions on all floors. First arriving units went into operation with deck guns and two-and-a-half inch handlines.

The main fire building collapsed witin 15 minutes of arrival and a third-alarm was transmitted as crews continued to battle heavy fire conditions. A fourth-alarm would be transmitted for manpower as exterior lines kept the fire from spreading. It took firefighters about an hour to bring the fire under control.

Twenty people were displaced from the fire and one minor injury was reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Mutual aid assisted the PFD on scene and with covering the city.