PATERSON FIRE HISTORY
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    • 2010 AND LATER
  • NOTABLE FIREFIGHTERS
    • CALAMITA FAMILY
    • CAPTAIN JOHN WEBER
    • CUSACK FAMILY
    • FLEMING FAMILY
    • HANCOCK FAMILY
    • HENRY OTIS HARRIS
    • ISAAC FELICIANO
    • JOHN GILMORE
    • JOSEPH DAYSPRING
    • KEARNEY-FAMILY
    • MARIANI FAMILY
    • McLAUGHLIN FAMILY
    • SALMANOWITZ BROTHERS
    • THE SIMONTONS
    • THE SWEENEYS
  • GREAT 1902 CONFLAGRATION
  • NOTABLE FIRES/INCIDENTS
  • SPECIAL OP EVENTS
  • TAKING THE HEAT BOOK
  • HISTORICAL REVIEWS
  • 1907 GUARDIAN
  • 1936 HEARD & SEEN COLUMN
  • FIREHOUSE PHOTOS / FACTS
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  • EMS
    • EMS ROSTER
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    • ANNUAL REPORTS
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    • EXEMPT 1892 BALL
    • EXEMPT BY-LAWS 1902
  • EXEMPT HOME & RELICS
  • FMBA / PFA
    • FMBA BY-LAWS
    • FMBA 1949 FOLLIES
  • BALLBOOKS
    • 1909 BALL BOOK
    • 1916 BALL BOOK
    • 1918 BALL BOOK
    • 1921 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1923 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1928 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1935 PFD BOOSTER
    • 1936 JANUARY PICTORIAL
    • 1936 DECEMBER PICTORIAL
    • 1937 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1938 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1939 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1941 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1942 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1943 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1944 ANNUAL BALL
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    • 1963 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1964 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1965 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1966 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1967 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1968 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1969 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1970 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1971 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1972 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1973 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1975 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1976 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1977 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1979 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1980 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1981 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1982 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1983 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1984 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1985 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1986 ANNUAL BALL
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    • 1988 ANNUAL BALL
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  • ANNUAL REPORTS
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  • CITY OF PATERSON

ALEXANDER HAMILTON HOTEL October 18 1984

On Oct. 18, 1984, an arson fire swept the shabby Alexander Hamilton Hotel in downtown Paterson - a once elegant building that fell into disrepair - killing 15 people and injuring about 60 others. "People were screaming, trying to tie sheets and blankets together to get out the windows," said hotel resident Lusylvia Rivera, 33, quoted by the Associated Press. She fled with her three children from a room on the first floor of the residential hotel. "The ones who were more scared just went ahead and jumped," Rivera said.
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October 18 Paterson News courtesy Dennis Morrison
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October 18 Paterson News courtesy Dennis Morrison
Tour 3 on duty: Box 181 - Market and Church streets - was transmitted at 12:14 a.m. and the incident ``quickly escalated to three alarms and all of the city's fire units responded, as did firefighters from five nearby towns,'' The New York Times said. ''We have people trapped, we have people jumping,'' Paterson Fire Capt. Domenick Cotroneo told The Times. Fire Chief William Comer, quoted by the AP, said "the fire spread so fast and the flames were so intense" that the blaze jumped from the third floor through air ducts and engulfed four or five floors of the eight-story hotel.
Battalion Chief Frank Crampton said Paterson firefighters encountered "very poor visibility, panicky people, unconscious people lying on floors," according to the AP.
Harry Moore, who escaped from the second floor with his wife and two babies, said "It happened all of the sudden," according to the AP. "A girl knocked on the door and screamed, 'Get out of the place,'" Moore said. "When we got out, the place was in flames. We grabbed what we could, the babies first of course."

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Courtesy Sharon Woodfruff
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Haycock Collection

​Investigators determined paint and other materials stored in the hotel fueled the flames.

Passaic, Clifton and Hawthorne were among the communities to send mutual aid.
​
Some victims succumbed to their injuries days later, including Christino 
Ramirez, 53, who died Oct. 24 at Hackensack Medical Center's burn unit. ''When he arrived here he had third-degree burns over 90 percent of his body,'' said Lisa Hoffman, a hospital spokeswoman quoted by United Press International.

Russell W. Conklin, 44, a TV repairman and resident of the hotel, was convicted of manslaughter and arson and sentenced to prison on Nov. 6, 1985. The Washington Post described Conklin as "an embittered handyman who may have been drunk." 
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October 18 Paterson News courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Paterson Mayor Frank X. Graves, quoted by the AP, said Conklin "had a fight with the night manager. He's the one that supposedly started the fire. The manager locked the guy in the room. He lit the sheets on fire and climbed out the back window. The suspect is saying this." Conklin served more than a decade behind bars and was released from a state prison on April 23, 1997, according to the web site of the New Jersey Department of Corrections.
Below is an early news clip published before the number of deaths recognized
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Haycock Collection
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Haycock Collection
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October 19 Paterson News courtesy Dennis Morrison
For a video produced by Louis Ponstingel about the Hotel Tragedy click the button below
Alexander Hamilton Hotel Video
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Bill Duncan, Ray "Koz" Kozlowski & Mike Ross - T-1, Tour 3 Alexander Hamilton Hotel Fire, Church St. side
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October 18 Paterson News courtesy Dennis Morrison
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October 19 Paterson News

October 19, 1984
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October 19 Paterson News courtesy Dennis Morrison
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October 19 Paterson News courtesy Dennis Morrison

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October 11, 1984  Station 181 - Journal Entry - Engine Company 11   Tour 3   Captain Roger Dumas, Acting Captain John Duffy, F/F J Martinez, W Leonhard
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Courtesy Captain Ryan Higgins
Listing of Firefighters and policemen at the scene. A star next to the name indicates nomination for a citation by Assistant Chief Joseph Forbes
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Ventimiglia Collection
December 9, 1984:  Mayor's Medals to 55 firefighters
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December 10 Paterson News courtesy Dennis Morrison

1985 Ball Book Valor Awards
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April 26, 1985 the FMBA presented the Deputy Chief James P Sweeney Award and the Harry Kelly Award to fireman (Acting Captain) Vincent Zito of Truck Company 2, Tour 3. On February 27, 1985 He also received the Firehouse Magazine Heroism and Community Service Awards program of $3,000 which was the top monetary award in the seventh annual program, the largest of its kind in the country. Zito was cited for his bravery in the Oct. 18, 1984, fire at the Alexander Hamilton Hotel, one of the worst blazes in the city's history. Fourteen people were killed and Zito was hospitalized for a week with acute smoke inhalation and exhaustion. 
An aerial was raised to the seventh floor. Zito ascended and assisted an elderly man down to safety. He reclimbed and started to remove a hysterical woman who informed him her daughter was still inside. He searched the hotel hallways for people stranded in the dense smoke and heat and he found an unconscious 8-year-old girl on the seventh floor, and gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, dragged her back to an apartment and handed her to a comrade (at the 7th floor window) who carried her down an aerial ladder. 
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Zito went back to the smoky hallway and found two more unconscious people. After trying in vain to drag their bodies to safety, the firefighter, who was near collapse from exhaustion and smoke inhalation, directed fellow firefighters to the victims. 'Firefighter Vincent Zito's courage and dedication is in the finest tradition of America's bravest,' the magazine said.
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Hancock Collection
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Hancock Collection
Paterson News Interview
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March 2 Paterson News - Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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1985 FMBA Valor Awards and Unit Citations (from ball book)
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This was the first ever Sweeney Award
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  • HOME
  • OVERVIEW
    • FIRST CENTURY
    • EVENTS 1890-1894
    • EVENTS 1895-1899
    • EVENTS 1900-1910
    • EVENTS 1911-1919
    • EVENTS 1920-1939
    • EVENTS 1940-1959
    • EVENTS 1960-1979
    • EVENTS 1980-99
    • EVENTS 2000-2019
    • EVENTS 2020-2022
  • FIREFIGHTERS
  • CHIEF ENGINEERS
    • ASSISTANT CHIEFS
    • DEPUTY CHIEFS
    • BATTALION CHIEFS
    • CHIEF GIGS
  • THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
    • MEMORIAL SERVICE
  • OBITUARIES / DEATHS
    • 1889-1919 DEATHS
    • 1920-1939 DEATHS
    • 1940-1959 DEATHS
    • 1960-1969 DEATHS
    • 1970-1979 DEATHS
    • 1980-1999 DEATHS
    • 2000-2009 DEATHS
    • 2010 AND LATER
  • NOTABLE FIREFIGHTERS
    • CALAMITA FAMILY
    • CAPTAIN JOHN WEBER
    • CUSACK FAMILY
    • FLEMING FAMILY
    • HANCOCK FAMILY
    • HENRY OTIS HARRIS
    • ISAAC FELICIANO
    • JOHN GILMORE
    • JOSEPH DAYSPRING
    • KEARNEY-FAMILY
    • MARIANI FAMILY
    • McLAUGHLIN FAMILY
    • SALMANOWITZ BROTHERS
    • THE SIMONTONS
    • THE SWEENEYS
  • GREAT 1902 CONFLAGRATION
  • NOTABLE FIRES/INCIDENTS
  • SPECIAL OP EVENTS
  • TAKING THE HEAT BOOK
  • HISTORICAL REVIEWS
  • 1907 GUARDIAN
  • 1936 HEARD & SEEN COLUMN
  • FIREHOUSE PHOTOS / FACTS
  • SPECIAL OPERATIONS
  • EMS
    • EMS ROSTER
  • COMPANY & FH HISTORY
  • COMMUNICATIONS / FA
    • FIRE BOX LISTS
    • EVRS STATION LIST
  • FIRE VIDEOS 1991-2011
  • FIRE VIDEOS 2014-2021
  • DOCUDRAMAS
  • APPARATUS
  • APPARATUS VIDEOS
  • NOTABLE EVENTS INDEX
    • PFD STORIES
    • APPARATUS NOTABLES
    • APPTS & PROMOTIONS
    • AWARDS
    • 1960 CHIEF SELECTION
    • GRAND STREET RIOT 1917
    • GROUND ZERO
    • MILITARY
    • PARADES PAID DEPT
    • RED MASS
    • RESCUES
    • RETIREMENTS
    • SISTER LORETTA
    • SPORTS
    • THEATRE DETAIL
  • MEMORABILIA
  • PATCHES DECALS LOGOS SHIRTS
  • WALLPAPER
  • DEPARTMENT PETS
  • TRAINING
  • VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT
    • 1821 - 1854 HISTORY
    • 1815-1890 VOLUNTEER HISTORY
    • 1888 HISTORICAL SUMMARY
    • LOOKING BACKWARDS
    • VOLUNTEER PARADES
    • ANNUAL REPORTS
    • VOLUNTEER CHIEFS >
      • CHIEF ELECTIONS
      • CHIEF BIOS
    • VOLUNTEER PROFILES
    • ANDREW MOSER
    • ENGINE CO APPARATUS LIST
    • OLD GOOSENECK
    • JEFFERS STEAMER
    • VOLUNTEER COMPANIES
  • EXEMPT ASSOCIATION
    • EXEMPT 1892 BALL
    • EXEMPT BY-LAWS 1902
  • EXEMPT HOME & RELICS
  • FMBA / PFA
    • FMBA BY-LAWS
    • FMBA 1949 FOLLIES
  • BALLBOOKS
    • 1909 BALL BOOK
    • 1916 BALL BOOK
    • 1918 BALL BOOK
    • 1921 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1923 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1928 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1935 PFD BOOSTER
    • 1936 JANUARY PICTORIAL
    • 1936 DECEMBER PICTORIAL
    • 1937 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1938 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1939 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1941 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1942 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1943 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1944 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1945 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1946 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1947 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1948 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1949 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1950 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1951 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1952 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1953 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1954 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1955 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1956 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1957 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1958 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1959 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1960 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1961 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1962 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1963 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1964 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1965 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1966 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1967 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1968 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1969 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1970 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1971 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1972 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1973 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1975 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1976 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1977 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1979 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1980 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1981 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1982 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1983 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1984 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1985 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1986 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1987 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1988 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1989 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1990 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1991 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1992 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1993 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1994 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1995 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1996 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1997 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1998 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1999 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2000 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2001 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2002 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2003 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2004 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2005 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2010 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2011 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2014 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2016 ANNUAL BALL
  • ANNUAL REPORTS
  • AUXILIARY FIRE DEPARTMENT
  • PFH CONTRIBUTORS
  • ORAL HISTORY
  • STATISTICS
  • CONTACT
  • CITY OF PATERSON