MAIN STREET TENEMENT FIRE 17 Deaths June 21, 1901
|
June 21, 1901 @12:30 PM: The second worse fire, with respect to loss of life, and the worse fire with respect to the death of minors (6 children aged 4 months to age 8 and two teenagers) in Paterson's history (overall 17 dead) was a major explosion in Abram Rittenberg's fireworks shop on the first floor of a tenement house (Walker's Flat) at 438-444 Main Street. The horrific details are in the newspaper articles that follow: the first report was published the day of the fire. The second report is the day after. The amount of details provided by reporters of the day is astonishing to those of today who get news in tweets. Many perished in initial
|
|
explosion but most died in the fire that followed as many fell into the cellar and were trapped under debris. In violation of city ordinance the fireworks shop had dynamite in its inventory. Thanks to Jim Eifler and Dennis Morrison for contributions to this story.
|
|
|
|
Eighth page not available
Newspaper report on day after fire
This article is more detailed on the deaths than the article above.
July 6, 1901: Leslie's Weekly
