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Wind-whipped flames consumed the Marcal Plant in Elmwood Park Wednesday night in what quickly became the kind of fire many have long feared.
The fire raged for several hours after breaking out in a warehouse around the start of the evening rush along nearby Route 80.
Dozens of companies raced to help. Hundreds of smoke eaters jumped in.
500 people lost their jobs.
And just when it seemed things couldn't get worse, another threat emerged.
PHOTO ABOVE: Michael Jannicelli for DAILY VOICE
The 45,000-square-foot distribution warehouse was gone in 90 minutes, collapsing on itself.
Firefighters desperately fought back flames in a second building as propane tanks began igniting less than an hour later.
Everyone was moved from the area just before the fire hit a 2,000-pound tank.
PHOTO ABOVE: Adam Pacyga for DAILY VOICE
Soon after, spectators watched grimly as the four-story main building collapsed, piece by piece, toppling the iconic rooftop sign that had survived for nearly 75 year.
"Softball-sized" flying embers ignited fires at several nearby homes and businesses -- reaching as far as the roof of Borough Hall, responders said.
Power lines along Market Street also caught fire. Chamberlain Avenue was evacuated.
The fire eventually hit eight alarms.
PHOTO ABOVE: Damien Danis for DAILY VOICE
A wind-blown smoke trail showed up on radar as far east as Islip, Long Island -- more than 60 miles away.
Newark Airport reportedly delaying flights after pilots said the smoke blocked their view of the runways.
By 10 p.m., things had finally calmed. The worst appeared over -- although some had yet to return to their homes. Firefighters continued to douse pockets of flame.
The first of the demolition crew arrived around 11 p.m. There was still fire on the ground, but it was manageable.
No serious injuries were reported, and all Marcal employees were accounted for, according to the command center.
An estimated 500 people worked at the plant.
Video from nearby highways, above, showed the extent of the inferno (COURTESY: ASAP_Zonk).
A fire under favorable conditions would be bad enough. Firefighters Wednesday night had to contend with wind, bitter cold (temperatures at 10 degrees and wind chills below zero) and more.
Water from the tower trucks "are freezing before it even gets to the fire," one responder said. "What’s not freezing is blowing away from the fire -- the wind is just brutal."
Flames continued to rise as the warehouse roof collapsed and explosions were reported during what quickly became a five-alarm blaze battled entirely from the exterior.
Water was being drafted from the Passaic River and equipment was being relocated due to the second-building collapse. The hope was to push the flames to the river.
PHOTO ABOVE: Damien Danis for DAILY VOICE
Among the responding companies joining Elmwood Park, according to Northern New Jersey All Incidents:
Saddle Brook, Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Mahwah, Franklin Lakes, Paramus, Maywood, Rochelle Park, South Hackensack, Moonachie, Wood Ridge, Hillsdale, Woodcliff Lake, Ho-Ho-Kus, Garfield and Clifton.
Also: Edgewater, Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Rutherford, Hasbrouck Heights, Paterson, Passaic, Lodi, North Arlington, River Edge and Teaneck.
And Hawthorne, Haledon, Little Falls, Totowa, Pompton Lakes, Prospect Park, Wayne, West Paterson, Bloomingdale, East Newark, Kearny and Secaucus.
Most of the closer towns had several companies on scene.
The Bergen County Office of Emergency Management provided light towers and port-a-johns.
The state Fire Marshall was also there.
ALSO SEE: Northern New Jersey All Incidents coverage of the Marcal Plant fire
ABOVE: Contributed photo.
PHOTO ABOVE: Jennifer Romero for DAILY VOICE
The site has a history of fires -- each of which has initially been feared to be "the big one."
There were at least two this month.
SEE: Spark From Electrical Cord Ignites Paper Dust Fire At Marcal Plant
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A five-alarm blaze in 2017 brought 100 or so firefighters from nearly 20 departments.
SEE: Worst Fears Don't Come True: Marcal Blaze Doused
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A 2012 blaze took firefighters from more than a dozen departments six hours to extinguish.
SEE: Marcal Plant Rooftop Fire
VIDEO: Jennifer Romero for DAILY VOICE
PHOTO ABOVE: Aaron Haber for DAILY VOICE
PHOTOS ABOVE: Damien Danis for DAILY VOICE
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