The evening of 30 January in Elmwood Park (NJ) lit a paper mill Marcal Paper Mills. This morning, January 31, firefighters were still putting out the smoldering structure.
View of elmwood park massive fire on descent to Newark airport pic.twitter.com/kkrf1arVqT
— Kiersten Barnet (@KierstenBarnet) January 31, 2019
According to firefighters, the huge paper rolls in warehouses completely caught fire, then collapsed the roof. All the rescuers for security reasons, was withdrawn from the burning building. The flames spread to the propane tanks and other combustible substances.
@ABC7NY There’s a fire now at The Marcal Factory in Elmwood Park, NJ. pic.twitter.com/lPNe6cFa53
— LV (@LVlovely) January 30, 2019
More than 150 firefighters fought the fire, but they prevented the strong wind — which is why the fire lasted all night. According to preliminary information, no injuries, but residents of nearby houses just in case evacuated.
«The wind blew directly towards the house, says Stuart Cameron, who lives just 5 houses from the factory. — Burning paper fell on the roof, the trees, the grass.»
The smoke had blocked some roads, in connection with which classes in some local schools today were canceled.
The #MarcalFire in #elmwoodpark NJ from I80 right now. pic.twitter.com/LBdZy3Bm9x
— CeFaan Kim (@CeFaanKim) January 31, 2019
The cause of the fire is established.
The Congressman from new Jersey bill Pascrell wrote in Twitter that will go to the scene to offer assistance to the population and employees of the factory.
But that said, Rob Baron, President and chief Executive officer Soundview Paper Company:
«On Wednesday evening, a devastating fire engulfed our factory in Elmwood. We are grateful to the rescuers for their work. We were lucky that none of the about 200 employees who worked at the factory during the fire, was not injured. In the coming days and weeks, our main priority will be to support staff as they temporarily lost their jobs».
