Massive Blaze Tears Through New Jersey Town, Destroys Multiple Businesses

October 24, 2018

A fast-moving blaze ripped through the business district of a New Jersey town, destroying multiple businesses and causing the partial collapse of at least four buildings, according to officials.

Daniel DeGroot, director of public safety for Dover, N.J., said the blaze was reported just after 3:30 p.m. Monday as smoke filled the basement of a luncheonette.

The fire grew quickly as it spread throughout the luncheonette’s building and surrounding structures in the town about 30 miles west of New York City.

More than a dozen fire departments responded to the scene with firefighters racing through the buildings threatened by the flames to clear out occupants. All affected occupants of the buildings were safely evacuated and no injuries were immediately reported, DeGroot said.

Numerous fire crews were still fighting the flames after 6:30 p.m. Monday, according to DeGroot.

“In my tenure here, this is the worst I’ve seen,” Town Administrator Don Travisano told the North Jersey Record. “It’s a nightmare thinking of a fire because the buildings are old and close together.”

James Dodd, the mayor of Dover, said the fire has already caused a devastating blow to the community.

“Now we have residents who are going to be displaced,” the Democratic mayor said. “We’re in the middle of developing our downtown area. It’s undergoing a complete renovation so it couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

Roads have been closed off throughout the area and officials are asking residents to avoid downtown.

Topics New Jersey

Was this article valuable?

Here are more articles you may enjoy.