A massive fire decimated a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in New Jersey Saturday morning — sending plumes of smoke into the air as it burned.

The five-alarm blaze broke out at the Straight and Narrow facility on Straight Street in Paterson, according to Catholic Charities, which operates the center.

“Paterson’s finest and bravest are actively fighting this fire and keeping everyone safe and secure,” Catholic Charities’ Paterson branch tweeted just before noon. “We can report that all of our service recipients & staff are accounted for and out of harm’s way. Over 200 service recipients are impacted by this fire. Please continue to pray for us, the firefighters & all of the first responders. “

The majority of the facility collapsed — with only steel supports and rubble remaining, Monsignor James Maloney, the vicar general of the Paterson Diocese, told NorthJersey.com.


NEWS

Massive fire destroys Straight and Narrow rehab facility in New Jersey

By Amanda Woods

August 24, 2019 | 7:34pm

A massive fire decimated a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in New Jersey Saturday morning — sending plumes of smoke into the air as it burned.

The five-alarm blaze broke out at the Straight and Narrow facility on Straight Street in Paterson, according to Catholic Charities, which operates the center.

“Paterson’s finest and bravest are actively fighting this fire and keeping everyone safe and secure,” Catholic Charities’ Paterson branch tweeted just before noon. “We can report that all of our service recipients & staff are accounted for and out of harm’s way. Over 200 service recipients are impacted by this fire. Please continue to pray for us, the firefighters & all of the first responders. “

The majority of the facility collapsed — with only steel supports and rubble remaining, Monsignor James Maloney, the vicar general of the Paterson Diocese, told NorthJersey.com.

The destruction, he said, was a huge loss as the center counsels thousands of people each year.

“It is one of the New Jersey’s largest drug and alcohol counseling centers,” Maloney said, adding the organization counsels thousands of people each year, and that the fire was a huge loss.

Everyone was evacuated, and the damage was luckily contained to the building, Mayor Andre Sayegh said in a video posted to Facebook.

“It is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, in Paterson at least,” he said. “I’ve got to commend the fire department.”