Artifacts damaged in fire that shut down Paterson Museum
PATERSON – Historical artifacts exhibited at the Paterson Museum were ruined by water damage in a fire earlier this month, an incident that has forced a temporary shutdown of the facility.
City officials said paper and cloth artifacts were destroyed by water during the efforts to extinguish the blaze, but they did not provide a list of the items that were affected.
The museum’s main gallery, where it houses its prized Colt gun collection, was one of the areas affected by the water damage, officials said. But they have not provided information on the status of the Colts.
The fire happened on March 14 at about 2 a.m., possibly starting between the second and third floors of the historic Rogers Locomotive Works at the corner of Market and Spruce streets, officials said.
Fire Chief Alex Alicea said the blaze was contained to that area. The chief said the fire remains under investigation.
The Rogers building was part of a manufacturing complex where more than 6,000 steam locomotives were built during the 19th century.
“We’ve swiftly relocated, cleaned and dried the affected artifacts, although some paper and cloth items were irreparably damaged,” said Habib Kader, chief of staff for the mayor.
“Currently, our city and tenant’s insurance carriers are evaluating the extent of the damage. We are in the process of obtaining detailed cost estimates for the necessary repairs and exploring avenues for additional funding, including
“Paterson is the steward for a national historical park. The artifacts in the museum are directly related to that, and the city has a responsibility to protect them.”
David Soo
Founder of the Paterson Friends of the Great Falls group
federal appropriations.”
The museum is on the first floor of the Rogers building and was minimally affected by the flames, officials said. The main problem for the museum exhibits was water damage, they said.
Two-month closure possible
Corey Fleming, director of the Paterson Library, which includes the museum, said the facility will remain closed for one to two months. Fleming said the library has hired Servpro to perform an emergency cleanup of the museum.
Some museum staff members were waiting outside the facility on the morning of the fire so they could get inside as soon as possible to minimize the impact of the water on exhibits after firefighters extinguished the blaze, Fleming said.
“They were able to save a lot of things,” Fleming said.
David Soo, founder of the Paterson Friends of the Great Falls group, was concerned about the extent of the damage.
“Paterson is the steward for a national historical park,” Soo said. “The artifacts in the museum are directly related to that, and the city has a responsibility to protect them.”
The city owns the building, but a private group called the Great Falls Development Group handles the leases for the upper floors. The city and that organization have been at odds for many years over repairs to the building and who should pay for them.