Dozens displaced by fire in New Jersey apartment buildings

A fast-moving fire injured 7 firefighters and displaced more than a dozen people in Union City on Sunday.

Firefighters say the blaze broke out at about 11 p.m. on Monday in a building on Park Street that housed several businesses on the street level and apartments above. It quickly spread to two adjacent buildings.

Two firefighters from Jersey City were hurt when a stairwell collapsed.

CBS2’s Alice Gainer reported one firefighter fell down the stairs and the others suffered burns.

A few residents were transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation and three firefighters were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

Union City Police officers Frank Depinto and Jose Ascencio were patrolling the area when they spotted smoke coming from the buildings.

A smoky kitchen fire displaced a family of five from their Kent Valley apartment in the 1000 block of Central Avenue North late Sunday afternoon.

“With the high heat conditions, fire fighter fatigue, and the close proximity to the three buildings we had a lot of fire on arrival”, Montagne said.