nypost.com
Evacuations, order to close windows near chemical plant fire in New Jersey
A fire at a New Jersey chemical plant with flames and smoke visible for miles in the night sky Friday has spread to multiple buildings, threatening to reach the plant's chemical storage area, authorities said.
Local
A massive chemical fire broke out in Passaic, New Jersey on Friday night, sending plumes of potentially dangerous smoke into the sky and prompting residents to be evacuated from the immediate area.
The fire at a warehouse at 225 Passaic Avenue was raised to three alarms just after 9 p.m., according to Mayor Hector Carolos Lora, who was on the scene. By 11 p.m., it had grown to an 11-alarm blaze and spread to multiple nearby buildings.
“There have been bad fires but this is the worst that I’ve ever seen,” Lora said.
At least one firefighter was injured and hospitalized after he was hit in the head with falling debris, fire officials said.
The building collapsed around 10:40 p.m., according to reports. The address belongs to Qualco, Inc. a swimming pools chemical company, according to its website.
Lora said firefighters were working to curb the fire from spreading to the main plant structure of the Qualco building, where stores of chlorine pellets remained the biggest threat.