Courtesy of CBS-2

A Hoboken resident, Seth Dembowitz, originally of Cherry Hill and a systems analyst at Bear Stearns, was killed in one of the most tragic fires to hit Hoboken in years. In total, 152 apartments were evacuated after a fatal fire broke out at 1203 Washington Street and 60 12th Street approximately 1:30 AM Tuesday morning. Thirteen others were injured while four firefighters and five police officers were taken to Hoboken University Medical Center for smoke inhalation.

According to Dembowitz's Facebook page, he was single and appeared to be an avid Eagles fan from his days of growing up in Cherry Hill, a New Jersey suburb outside of Philadelphia. Despite his South Jersey roots, he indicates was also a huge Red Sox supporter. Dembowitz was born on August 21, 1979 and graduated Rutgers University in 2001, where he was chairperson of the Rutgers Student Center Governing Board.

His favorite quote? "I have to return some videotapes," from the new classic, "American Psycho" with Christian Bale.

To view Dembowitz's Facebook page, click here. As you will see, many friends have already left messages for Seth after learning about his tragic death.

The family of Seth Dembowitz, the 28 year-old Hoboken resident who died in Tuesday's tragic fire at 1203 Washington Street, has set up "The 243 Foundation" charitable fund that advocates fire safety and awareness. Donations may be sent to:

The 243 Foundation
c/o Richard F Michaelson, Esq
2300 Chestnut Street
Suite 320
Philadelphia, PA

To review events since early Monday morning, massive flames could be seen shooting from the two rooftops and out different windows in the apartment buildings in what firefighters characterized as a four-alarm fire. One resident was rescued from a balcony but was treated for injuries.

Because the building was renovated in the 70s, it was not required to have a sprinkler system. The building also was not mandated to have a fire alarm system throughout the building that immediately contacts the fire department.

Such a system existed in the common areas on the building, but by the time flames spread to that part of the building, it had already affected several individual apartments.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but arson has already been ruled out.

For a historic perspective (courtesy of the Hoboken Fire Department) here is a list of important fires in Hoboken history.

1897: A fire in a blacksmith shop at Adams and Newark Streets causes the death of three people.

1900: A fire at a pier warehouse spreads to three ships of the North German Lloyd Fleet, burns for three days and kills 300 people. It causes $5 million in property damage.

Fire claims thirteen lives at Adams and First Streets.

1905: The Lackawanna Ferryhouse and the famous Duke's House Restaurant and Tavern are destroyed by a fire. The ferry boats Hopatcong and Binghamton are also destroyed.

1908: A gas tank at the corner of Twelfth and Clinton Streets burns for six days.

Fires in Hoboken are and never were uncommon

1915: The famous Hexamer's Riding Academy at 215 Hudson St. is destroyed.

1921: Thirteen people lose their lives at the Palace Hotel on Newark Street.

Fire totally destroys Pier 5, with damage estimated at $3 million. However the contents of the pier- 5,795 bodies of United States Servicemen being returned from France - are saved.

1937: A blaze destroys the entire block east of Hudson Street between Eleventh and Twelfth streets, including the R. G. Matthews Corporation.

1944: Pier 4 is destroyed with damage exceeding $4 million.

1949: Sinatra's Father Hurt Fighting Fire

1967: A tenement house fire kills five people at 415 Monroe St., the birthplace of Frank Sinatra. (Incidentally, Frank's father Anthony, had joined the fire department in 1927 and was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1944.)

1973: An arson fire at a tenement at Eleventh Street and Willow Avenue claims 11 lives.

1979: An arson fire at 131 Clinton Street claims 21 lives.

1981: An arson fire claims 11 lives at a tenement at Twelfth and Washington Streets.

1982: An arson fire at Pinter's Hotel at Fourteenth Street claims 12 lives.

1985: A fire starts at the old Levelor Blinds Building on Monroe Street between Eighth and Ninth Streets and destroys 30 businesses, eight industrial firms and 92 cars. It also damages 14 homes. Two-thousand jobs are lost, and the estimated damage is $10 million.

1994: A tenement fire at 308 Madison Street claims two lives. One child was rescued from the burning apartment. The fire alarm system was not in operation at the time of the fire.

1997: Fire in a 10 story senior citizen complex claims three lives. Fire Captain makes rescue despite serious injury incurred during rescue.

1998: All hands fire at 917 Clinton Street seriously damaging three 5 story attached apartment buildings. Fire spread horizontally via numerous hidden voids in construction.

More recently:

Fire at Helmer's, May 11, 2006

2006: Helmer's Restaurant and the apartments above are severly damaged as a result of a four-alarm fire. Helmer's would eventually reopen in the summer of 2007.

2008: McSwiggan's Bar is a reduced to a shell and apartments above the bar are completely gutted in a early January fire this year. Several fundraisers by local bars (The

McSwiggan's fire: January 7, 2008

Shannon, O'Donohughes and The Dubliner) help displaced residents who lose almost all possessions in the fire.

When and where the next big Hoboken fire will occur is anyone's guess. The question, however, at least in 2008, no longer seems to be a matter of "if".

For questions or comments regarding this story, email realhoboken@yahoo.com .

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