Arson Suspected in N.J. 7-Alarm Warehouse Fire

ELIZABETH, N.J. -- Firefighters continue to fight the 7-alarm blaze for a second day as authorities say they suspect arson.

The fire is believed to have started from inside a vehicle parked inside the large industrial warehouse space on the 800 block of Newark avenue.

From wood to tires to vehicles, the building is filled with elements that fueled the blaze into a 7-alarm call requiring more than 35 fire departments to respond to.

Intense heat and thick smoke slowed firefighters trying to get to the source, depleting a good portion of the oxygen tanks before they could get close. Before long the heat started cracking the cement flooring, forcing a massive evacuation of all firefighting personnel. From that point on, the building was left to burn. Pitch-black smoke converted into open flames Thursday evening, the first sighting of flames for a fire that began almost 30 hours earlier.

Throughout the day thick black plumes of smoke were sent billowing hundreds of feet into the air. Visible from more than 15 miles away, it headed for New York City and the surrounding areas. People reported smelling the stench as far as Brooklyn. Local authorities say the air quality is safe although some residents expressed their doubts to PIX11 News.

Now that arson is the suspected cause, investigators will undoubtedly research the ownership of the building as part of their search for answers. Including what type of financial help the ownership was in. The building was to be converted into condominiums a few years ago, when the financial crisis sank the development.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service