About 35 firefighters responded after heavy smoke greeted an employee opening Hot Bagel on Saddle River Road before dawn Tuesday.
FAIR LAWN, N.J. — A worker arriving to open Hot Bagel on Saddle River Road discovered heavy smoke early Tuesday morning, triggering a general alarm response that brought approximately 35 firefighters to the Bergen County business.
The employee called 911 at 3:23 a.m. after encountering the smoke, according to the Fair Lawn Fire Department. Assistant Fire Chief Marc Palmieri reported smoke coming from the business when he arrived and requested a full first-alarm assignment.
Fire Had Spread Into Walls and Ceiling
Firefighters from all four Fair Lawn fire companies responded to the scene. Crews found flames extending into the walls and ceiling, forcing them to open sections of the building to reach and extinguish the fire.
“The fire was quickly knocked down. Thankfully, the worker arrived when it did and called us,” Palmieri said. “Otherwise, if the alarm was delayed much longer the results would have been much worse.”
Palmieri said the first-arriving crews moved quickly after locating the concealed fire.
“Our first arriving units found fire extending into the walls and ceiling,” he said. “They opened the walls and were able to quickly extinguish the fire. Unfortunately, the business and the adjacent business experienced moderate damage.”
No Injuries Reported During Response
Officials declared the fire under control approximately 10 minutes after the department arrived. All fire units had cleared the scene by 5 a.m.
Neither the worker nor any firefighters were injured.
The Fair Lawn Rescue Squad, Fair Lawn Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Fair Lawn Office of Emergency Management and Fair Lawn Police Department assisted during the response.
The incident adds to recent fire coverage in Bergen County and underscores the importance of promptly reporting smoke or other warning signs inside a business.
Cause Remains Under Investigation
The Fair Lawn Fire Prevention Bureau is investigating what caused the blaze. The bureau conducts fire-safety inspections at approximately 4,500 locations annually and investigates fires and other incidents throughout the borough.
Officials did not immediately announce when Hot Bagel or the neighboring business could reopen. The extent and estimated cost of the damage were also not released.
More coverage of New Jersey, local news, public safety, business and Bergen County is available from Shore News Network.
New Jersey News
Thief slips into Newark car and swipes $200 plus three cellphones
Shore News Network
Lottery Results
Burlington County ticket hits massive $576K Jersey Cash 5 jackpot
Shore News Network
North Jersey News
70-Year-Old Motorcyclist Dies After Nighttime Crash at Linden Intersection
Shore News Network
Breaking