No fire alarms activated before or during a blaze at a New Jersey apartment building Wednesday that sent as many as 400 residents scrambling for safety, according to fire officials.
Passaic city officials inspected the building on Gregory Avenue in July after a water leak interfered with the alarm system, said Keith Furlong, a spokesperson at the mayor's office, on Friday. The system was repaired and tested, he said.
There was no information as to why the alarm failed Wednesday.
The cause of the eight-alarm fire is still under investigation, said Furlong.
Photos posted to social media showed large flames shooting through the roof of the five-story building, with thick smoke billowing into the air. Ladder units were on the scene, dousing the flames from above.
The building housed 60 apartments.
Most of the building's roof collapsed and firefighters received assistance from 10 neighboring fire departments.
The fire, which started around 9 p.m. Wednesday, wasn't extinguished until around 4 a.m. Thursday.
Local
No residents were injured, but three firefighters were treated for injuries and were recuperating at home, Furlong said.
Fundraising events are planned to help families displaced by the fire, Furlong said, adding that donations may be made to the mayor's office.
