Edgewater NJ Fire - Firefighters struggled through late hours Wednesday night to contain a fire that started at the Avalon Edgewater apartment complex in Bergen County sometime after 4:00 p.m.
The Edgewater fire, which is reportedly one of the largest ever in the county, forced local authorities to shut down schools and many roads - including the River Road. Reports indicate that fire fighters on boats also joined to put out the fire that was quickly getting out of control.
PIC: Timeline of events at the Edgewater NJ Multiple Alarm fire. Credit: @NBCNewYork pic.twitter.com/SILQA2R36d
— N. Jerzy Fire Alert (@NJerzyFireAlert) January 22, 2015
Edgewater Mayor Michael McPartland declared a state of emergency before announcing that schools will be closed on Thursday and that many roads would be temporarily shut down.
It is unclear how the fire started. Officials have not announced the death of any casualties in the Edgewater fire. Reports indicate that residents of the 4-storey complex were ordered to relocate to a nearby school.
New York Yankees announcer John Sterling was one of the people who lost their homes to the Edgewater fire. Sterling, who has found lodging at a nearby hotel, told the Daily News that he was returning to his apartment when he smelled smoke and also realized that the elevators on one side of the complex had stopped working. He then decided to evacuate the building and avert any danger.
The Edgewater, New Jersey fire from above at 12:32 am pic.twitter.com/rm7Iqx01z5
— Anthony Quintano (@AnthonyQuintano) January 22, 2015
The huge flame, which could be seen from across the Hudson River, reportedly caused some power outage in the area. Firefighters braved the frigid cold and bad wind to quell the Edgewater fire.
At 12:00 p.m. yesterday, thick plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the site of the Edgewater fire. Reports indicate that some 3 hours earlier, some walls of the building had started to collapse.
cc: @RyanRuggiero MT @Bogs4NY: Massive fire at Avalon complex in Edgewater, NJ pic.twitter.com/FZVJ8fovew
— Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) January 22, 2015
Local authorities have reportedly opened an investigation in the incident amid speculations that the fire spread too quickly. The fire is believed to have started from the southern area of the apartment where some plumbers were reportedly working.
The Edgewater fire echoes a similar fire at the same site more than a decade ago when it was under construction. That blaze, which reached up to 300 ft high, also raged on for many hours. The property destroyed many nearby homes before it was eventually brought under control.
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