Crews are still putting out hot spots on a fire that destroyed a strip mall in New Jersey. The flames were so intense, the smoke from this fire drifted across the Hudson last night and over Manhattan.
The firefighters are still out dumping water on this fire. It is a mess. An entire row of businesses is now gone and one of the reasons is that these are old businesses that didn't have sprinklers or smoke detectors, combine that with the amount of fuel and the result was a fast and furious fire.
Fire investigators believe it began in the basement of a 99-cent store with one of five businesses connected to the strip mall that was gutted by the flames.
Danny Brule, Union City Resident: "It was coming across and hitting the power lines. Of course I was worried about it going across the street."
The strip mall is located at 36th and Park Avenue. There were five businesses here, which were a bakery, a 99-cent store, a jewelry store, a karate shop and the hardware store.
Firefighters from several nearby departments were called in when it was clear they were in for a long and dangerous fight.
The inferno spread fast, two nearby hydrants were out of service, and chemical products in the hardware store fueled the flames.
Three firefighters were treated at Palisades General Hospital for minor injuries. A fourth firefighter was treated on the scene. About 1200 customers were without power for a brief time but the power has since been restored.
