17 people displaced, 1 missing after 8-alarm fire destroys building in Paterson

A 60-year-old man was missing Sunday after a fire destroyed a mixed-use apartment building in Paterson, officials said.

The fire was reported to authorities 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 at 3 p.m. Sunday, but firefighters remained on scene to monitor hot spots, authorities said.

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 the temporary relocation of residents.

After the fire, authorities were notified by the building's owner that one person was missing, a white man in his 60s, Speziale said. The man's identity is known, but it is not immediately made public.

“They can’t get in touch with him,” Speziale said.

A contractor is “methodically” dismantling the building, authorities said.

“We hope people have dispersed because of the flames and we just can't contact them right now,” Speziale said.

“We all pray that this is the case,” Speziale said.

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NJ Advance Media Fellow Nyah Marshall contributed to this report.

Jackie Romain can be reached at [email protected].