All photos courtesy of Bill Tompkins
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Fair Lawn NJ, early this morning, a two-alarm fire severely damaged a strip mall in Fair Lawn, NJ. At 2:27 AM, the Fair Lawn Fire Department responded to reports of flames emerging from the rear of the Green Dragon Restaurant located on the 19 block of Fair Lawn Ave.
Upon arrival, firefighters were met with heavy smoke and fire emanating from the back of the building. Fair Lawn Assistant Fire Chief Ralph Rinaldo quickly called for a working fire assignment and escalated to a second alarm for additional support.
“We initially sent in an engine crew through the rear of the building to try to get a handle on it. Unfortunately, the fire quickly spread, compromising the roof. In the interest of safety, we opted to fight the fire from the exterior using aerial ladders,” said Assistant Chief Rinaldo. “There was heavy air handling equipment on the roof of the building. The roof collapsed shortly thereafter. Thankfully, by that point, everyone was out of the building,” he continued. “In addition, the fire got into the common cockloft of the building and spread horizontally to the other businesses in the complex.”
The fire caused widespread damage to all the businesses in the strip mall, including Zadies Kosher Bake Shop, Fair Lawn Roadhouse, Flynn’s Barbershop, Dream on Lash Salon, and Regency Cleaners. Assistant Chief Rinaldo expressed the community’s sentiment, stating, “It’s obviously devastating to lose these small businesses as people lose their livelihoods.”
Extensive overhaul operations continued through mid-morning. Remarkably, no injuries were reported among building occupants or firefighters.
The Fair Lawn Fire Department received support from various local agencies, including Fair Lawn Police, Fair Lawn Rescue Squad, Fair Lawn Office of Emergency Management, and the Fair Lawn Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Mutual aid was provided by the Saddle Brook, Elmwood Park, Paterson, Hawthorne, Wyckoff, and Paramus Fire Departments, bringing approximately 50 firefighters to the scene.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Fair Lawn Fire Prevention Bureau.
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