North Bergen Kennedy Furniture fire may have been caused by roof work

NORTH BERGEN, New Jersey (WABC) -- Roof work that was being done without proper permits may have been the cause of a five-alarm fire at the Kennedy Furniture store in North Bergen.

Firefighters spent hours battling a large fire at a furniture store in New Jersey Wednesday. Flames shot through the roof of the Kennedy Furniture building on John F. Kennedy Boulevard in North Bergen, sending up thick plumes of black smoke that could be seen for miles.

Investigations are ongoing, but officials said they believe roof work may have caused the fire. They have been unable to find a proper permit for the work.

"Anytime you use a torch on the roof, you have to have a fire extinguisher in place. You have to get a permit and make sure all the proper precautions are being taken care of before even attempting the job," says North Bergen fire official Thomas Irving.

If it is concluded that there were no permits, there could be potential fines and license suspensions.

The fire, which went to four alarms, started in the rear of the building and then extended to the entire building. No injuries were reported.