Fire burns through row of stores, destroying popular Fair Lawn bakery

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Friday, July 26, 2024
Fire in Fair Lawn, NJ destroys businesses including famed kosher bakery
Anthony Johnson is live in Fair Lawn, NJ with the latest on the strip mall fire.

FAIR LAWN, New Jersey (WABC) -- A two-alarm fire burned through a row of stores in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, including a popular bakery.

Heavy fire spread through the strip on Fair Lawn Road just after 2:30 a.m. Friday.

A Jewish bakery, Zadies Kosher Bake Shop, sustained heavy damage.

"All our recipes are inside, they are all handwritten, they're four generations old, all on a piece of paper," the owner said. "On Friday, shabbas, we're a kosher bakery, there will be a lot of people here trying to get their stuff. I can't even contact all of the people who have orders for today."

A Jewish deli, a restaurant, a barbershop, and dry cleaners are also located in the strip of stores, and were impacted.

"It did spread down the line so that's why we had multiple towers in operation," said Doug Sadowski, Public Information Officer, Fair Lawn Fire Department.

Crews continued to pour water on hot spots into the early morning hours. It's believed the fire started in the Green Dragon Restaurant.

"When we first pulled up there were flames coming out of the roof, it seems it was by the kitchen area, but that's for the prosecutors to determine," said Assistant Fire Chief Ralph Rinaldo, Fair Lawn Fire Department. "It took about an hour and a half for us to knock everything down."

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

No one was injured.

Road closures were impacting the area as firefighters continued to put out hot spots and clean up water.

ALSO READ | Fish falls from sky and damages couple's Tesla in New Jersey

Toni Yates has the story on the fish that fell from the sky and damaged a couple's Tesla in Atlantic Highlands.

----------

* Get Eyewitness News Delivered

* More New Jersey news

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts

* Follow us on YouTube

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.