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Police & Fire
Fire Destroys Familiar Paterson Water Tower, Ravages Abandoned Mill Fire Destroys Familiar Paterson Water Tower, Ravages Abandoned Mill
Fire Destroys Familiar Paterson Water Tower, Ravages Abandoned Mill The second fire in a little over two years at a vacant mill near the Great Falls in Paterson destroyed a 125-year-old water tower on Thursday. Three squatters emerged safely from the McBride Avenue building shortly after the three-alarm blaze broke out around 10 a.m. EMS brought one to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation. Arson investigators were eyeing the squatters as they probed the blaze to determine its origin, authorities said. Firefighters were forced into an exterior operation and had the blaze under control in just over an hour. None were injur…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Police: Washington Man, 33, Charged With Arson After Starting Porch Fire Police: Washington Man, 33, Charged With Arson After Starting Porch Fire
Police: Washington Man, 33, Charged With Arson After Starting Porch Fire A 33-year-old man from Warren County set fire to a porch Monday afternoon, said authorities who charged him. Christopher Ayala, of Washington, started a porch on fire at 56 Broad St., shortly before 4 p.m. Monday, LehighValleyLive reports. Local firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 15 minutes, officials said. Ayala was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with arson, criminal mischief and person not to possess a weapon (a knife), authorities said. Ayala was lodged in Warren County jail pending a court appearance, officials said. The incident remains under investigation.…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Arson Investigators Charge Clifton Man In Fires Arson Investigators Charge Clifton Man In Fires
Arson Investigators Charge Clifton Man In Fires Arson investigators arrested a 25-year-old Clifton man Thursday and charged him with a pair of overnight garbage can fires on the same block, one of which spread to an adjoining home. Mario A. Palma-Sanchez remained held pending a first appearance Friday in Central Judicial Processing Court in Paterson on aggravated arson charges after surveillance images helped identify him, authorities said. Palma-Sanchez ignited two fires in trash cans the night of March 30 on Highland Avenue, one of which damaged an apartment and displaced a family, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes,…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Authorities Charge Convicted Murderer, Other Inmates Who Set Fires In Passaic County Jail Riot Authorities Charge Convicted Murderer, Other Inmates Who Set Fires In Passaic County Jail Riot
Authorities Charge Convicted Murderer, Other Inmates Who Set Fires In Passaic County Jail Riot Authorities filed charges against a convicted murderer and five other inmates subdued by sheriff's officers after they set fires to bedsheets during a weekend riot at the Passaic County Jail. What became a six-hour ordeal began Saturday night when two inmates refused to lock into their cells, Passaic County Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik said. Things escalated when others became non-complaint, as well, he said. The sheriff himself joined officers in trying to calm the situation, but some of the inmates ignited fires to bedsheets and continued defying orders, he said. Shortly before 11 p.m…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Arson Investigators Charge Clifton Man In Fires UPDATE: Arson Investigators Charge Clifton Man In Fires
Update: Arson Investigators Charge Clifton Man In Fires BUSTED! Arson investigators arrested a 25-year-old Clifton man Thursday and charged him with a pair of overnight garbage can fires on the same block, one of which spread to an adjoining home. https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/southpassaic/police-fire/arson-investigators-charge-clifton-man-in-fires/786373/ Mario A. Palma-SanchezPASSAIC COUNTY PROSECUTOR ****** Authorities turned to the public for help Thursday in trying to identify an arsonist who they said set two overnight fires in Clifton. Detectives investigating the Monday Highland Avenue garbage can blazes – one at 3:30 a.m. and …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Arson Investigators Probe Clifton Fire Spree Arson Investigators Probe Clifton Fire Spree
Arson Investigators Probe Clifton Fire Spree Arson investigators Monday morning probed a trio of garbage can fires on the same Clifton block, authorities confirmed. No one was injured in the most recent blaze, a smoky 5 a.m. fire Monday that cleared a Highland Avenue home, authorities said. Firefighters quickly doused the blaze and vented smoke from the home with fans. The Red Cross tended to the residents. CHECK BACK FOR MORE DETAILS

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Spitting On Police, 911 Scares: Coronavirus Crimes Spread Throughout NJ Spitting On Police, 911 Scares: Coronavirus Crimes Spread Throughout NJ
Spitting On Police, 911 Scares: Coronavirus Crimes Spread Throughout NJ Along with the increase of coronavirus cases in New Jersey are growing numbers of people charged with crimes directly tied to the pandemic, authorities said. No fewer than five of them either spit or coughed on police officers and claimed they’d tested positive for COVID-19, authorities said. Others held weddings or other gatherings in violation of state emergency orders. Another is accused of dialing 911 and claiming she had the coronavirus to try to get a community college to close. All are being held accountable, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. “Our police officers are g…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Authorities: Morris County Homeowner Charged In Insurance Arson Fire Authorities: Morris County Homeowner Charged In Insurance Arson Fire
Authorities: Morris County Homeowner Charged In Insurance Arson Fire A Morris County man was charged with setting fire to his home for insurance purposes, authorities announced Friday. Gilmar Tejada, 37, was the only person in the single-family Cedar Street home in East Hanover before the Dec. 21, 2019 blaze broke out in the basement and quickly spread through the home, they said. “Subsequent investigation revealed that insurance documents related to the property were not accurate,” Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker and East Hanover Township Police Chief Christopher F. Cannizzo said in a joint announ…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Seven Hillsdale Firefighters Injured In Westwood Blaze UPDATE: Seven Hillsdale Firefighters Injured In Westwood Blaze
Update: Seven Hillsdale Firefighters Injured In Westwood Blaze A recently-sold Westwood house that was undergoing renovations went up in flames overnight, injuring seven Hillsdale firefighters. The firefighters were checked out for what turned out to be minor injuries at nearby Pascack Valley Medical Center (HUMC) after a porch roof collapsed on them in the 5:30 a.m. Oakland Avenue blaze on Wednesday. "While attempting to make a push, the porch roof collapsed," their department said. "All were removed, with minor assistance." All were released from the hospital four hours later.  Mutual aid also included firefighters from Bergenfield, Emerson, Frank…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Former North Jersey Neo-Nazi Leader, Holocaust Denier Gets 5 Years For Torching NY Gas Station Former North Jersey Neo-Nazi Leader, Holocaust Denier Gets 5 Years For Torching NY Gas Station
Former North Jersey Neo-Nazi Leader, Holocaust Denier Gets 5 Years For Torching NY Gas Station A former neo-Nazi leader and Holocaust denier who ignited virtual firestorms when he lived in Ridgewood was sentenced to a plea-bargained five years in prison for torching a service station in New York State. A Sullivan County court judge in Monticello required Friday that Jacques Pluss, 66, also remain under supervision for five years after his release from state prison on the arson conviction. Pluss, who lives in Kenoza Lake, NY, admitted in November that he cut a propane line and started a fire at an area service station in Jeffersonville while people -- including his wife -- were inside…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Roselle Man, 30, Indicted In Linden Arson Spree Roselle Man, 30, Indicted In Linden Arson Spree
Roselle Man, 30, Indicted In Linden Arson Spree A Union County grand jury returned a nine-count indictment against a Roselle man accused of setting a series of fires in Linden. Marcus D. Wise, 30, set fires to a Linden school, homes and dumpster last July 25, Acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo said. The first fire broke out at a business on the 800 block of North Wood Avenue around 10 p.m. A half-hour later, a fire was reported at a vacant home on the 900 block of Seymour Avenue Two more fires were reported after midnight -- one a brush fire on the 20 block of East Curtis Street and the other a dumpster fire on the 300 …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Bound Brook Man, 28, Charged With Arson In Massive Downtown Fire Bound Brook Man, 28, Charged With Arson In Massive Downtown Fire
Bound Brook Man, 28, Charged With Arson In Massive Downtown Fire A 28-year-old Bound Brook man was charged with arson following a massive fire that tore through the downtown district Sunday night. Juan Hector Padilla, of East Second Street, was arrested Monday and charged with second-degree arson and hindering investigation apprehension, along with providing false information, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office said. Investigators said Padilla was seen walking near the building several times before the seven-alarm blaze broke out around 7:55 p.m., at the site of the Meridia II building on East Main Street and Mountain Avenue. The Bound Brook F…

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by Cecilia Levine