Six-Alarm Fire Rips Through Businesses in Hillside, NJ
nj.com
(TNS)
Lingering smoke from a fire that broke out following an explosion at an auto body shop in Hillside on Tuesday night has affected the air quality in town, the mayor said Wednesday morning.
“It’s not like it was when we had (smoky conditions from) the big forest fires (in Canada) where it was almost unbearable, but it is definitely very uncomfortable,” Mayor Dahlia Vertreese said by phone. “If you don’t have to leave, try to stay indoors, keep your windows closed, take air conditioners out.
“Just try to preserve the oxygen in your house and use your own discretion if you need to wear oxygen masks or whatever you need to do to protect yourself, because it can definitely be an irritant.”
Firefighters are still on the scene of the fire on the 1500 block of Maple Avenue on Wednesday morning.
“We’re still trying to put out some hot spots,” Vertreese said. “Most of the fire is under control, but we’re working to prevent it from flaring up again. One minute we think it’s OK and then it flares up again.”
Two firefighters have been treated for minor injuries, the mayor said.
At least six businesses were destroyed, Vertreese said, adding that investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.
Among the stores burned in the fire were a bodega and a flower shop.
“We’re going to have to re-build the whole block,” Vertreese said.
Red Cross New Jersey said. it helped 21 displaced people from six families with temporary lodging, food, clothing
Hillside Fire Chief Rashawn Carey told WABC-7 a gas line was ruptured and described the blaze as a “gas-fed fire.”
Yeah, there’s still fire personnel on the saying.
0:29I know we’ve worked through the night.
0:31We’re still trying to put out some hot spots, but most of it has been, put under control, so we’re now just trying to make sure, it doesn’t keep flaring up, which has become a problem, you know, one minute we think it’s OK and then it flares up again.
0:47So at this point we’re just monitoring it and trying to hopefully get the whatever is, is, actually burning.
0:55, eventually burn itself out, but that’s where we are right now.
1:00Understood.
1:01Were there any air quality, right?
1:03I was going to ask you about that next.
1:05I’m seeing some folks saying there’s some air concerns in town.
1:08, is it very, I’m, I’m a few miles away from you.
1:12Is it very smoky in town?
1:14It is, it’s, it’s, it, it is smoky.
1:18it’s not like it was when we had the, big forest fires where it was like almost unbearable, but it is definitely very uncomfortable, if you can, like I said last night, you don’t have to leave, you know, try to stay indoors, keep your windows closed, take air conditioners out.
1:38Just try to preserve the oxygen in your house and use your own discernment you need to wear oxygen masks or whatever you need to do to protect yourself because it’s, it can definitely be an irritant.
1:52you know, bring make sure you got your asthma pumps, you know, anything that you need, especially if you have a preexisting condition as it pertains to your lungs, you need to be cognizant of that.
2:02That’s good advice.
2:03were there any injuries to first responders?
2:06, there were, I believe there is 2.
2:14Firemen that had some in in injuries, but I’m not sure as to the specifics of that, but they are fine and they’re being defined as minor.
2:25OK.
2:26They were treated and they, they’re not hospitalized or anything like that just to double check, OK, and I guess last thing, I know the investigation’s gonna be going on for a while, but preliminarily, is the fire considered, accidental or is it possible that it was suspicious?
2:44, we have no idea at this point.
2:48I don’t want to presume or say anything, yeah.
2:52No problem.
2:52And how many businesses were, were, damaged or destroyed?
2:56Do you have a total on that?
2:58I’m not sure at this point how many, I just know the entire strip, so based on my own memory.
3:06it has to be at least 6 or 7 businesses and they’re and they’re completely destroyed or or some just damaged but not destroyed?
3:15Yeah, no, there’s there’s no we’re gonna have to rebuild that whole block.
©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit nj.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.