*Photos by Paul W. Wang, Katherine Massopust, Orlando Perez, Carolyn Maxwell

From PAFD Facebook: At 13:08 on 5/2/20, the Department was dispatched to a reported fire at 235 Madison Ave called in by a PD unit. Arriving units found both 235 & 237 Madison Ave. heavily involved in fire in the rear with B side exposure problems. Primary searches began and multiple hoselines went into operation due to reported occupants trapped. Firefighters located one occupant in the first floor and removed him. Once all occupants were accounted, two tower ladders and exterior lines operated to knock down the heavy fire throughout both buildings. Crews then reentered to extinguish all remaining fire. At least 30 residents were displaced by the fire & no injuries were reported. City units on scene were E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, T-2, R-1, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-5 & C-9. Mutual aid on scene were Hopelawn R-8, Keasbey 4-2-4, Melrose E-3, Morgan T-2, Fords 7-1, South Amboy E-10 & Iselin Air 9-3-4. Reserve T-3 & E-4 covered the city during the incident. The fire is under investigation by the PAFD & Middlesex County Fire Marshal’s Office.