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The fire broke out in a building leased by Fish Inc. on the 400 block of New Market Road at about 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28, according to Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler, who was at the scene.
"The building's a goner," Wahler said of the century-old structure owned by First Baptist Church.
Fish Inc., an all-volunteer non-profit, has more than 2,000 clients, with 60 families a week relying on the pantry for food and clothing, Wahler said.
The timing of the fire is particularly rough with religious holidays coming up, the mayor said.
Officials aim to announce a plan on where food and clothing donations can be brought in the meantime via the township's webpage and Facebook.
"We have wheels in motion,'" Wahler said. "We're working with other county officials and other food pantries."
The pantry can accept monetary donations at https://www.fishdunellenarea.org/
New Market Road was closed between McKinnon Street and Union Street, Piscataway police said.
No one was hurt.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Fish Inc. serves Dunellen, Edison, Green Brook, Highland Park, Middlesex, Piscataway and South Plainfield and part of Somerset County, Wahler said.
"You have seen generations of people who helped over time," Wahler said of the volunteers that include high school students.
It was the second fire to destroy a food pantry this past week.
Multiple departments fought a fire on Sunday, Feb. 25 on Old Route 22 in Clinton, Hunterdon County, which initially began on the roof of the Open Cupboard Food Pantry, Clinton Police Chief Cory Kubinak said.
The fire rapidly spread to Walgreens, Kubinak said. Just Subs, J&D Wine and Spirits and Ihling’s, also located in the plaza, sustained lesser damage, Kubinak said.
"This is a double blow for Central Jersey food pantries in the past week," Wahler said.
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