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- BREAKING NEWS: Natural gas fed a fire that collapsed section of the Roc Harbour condominiums on River Road in North Bergen early today. North Hudson Regional Fire Chief Frank Montagne said the blaze apparently began in a closet of the 70-residence development, near the foot of Bulls Ferry Road. Everyone got out safely — although it was unclear if they included one of the development’s better-known residents, former Giants linebacker Jessie Armstead. A few were hospitalized, apparently for smoke inhalation.
The first was a chimney fire that broke out on Snow Drive in Mahwah around 10 p.m. and went up the outside of the house.
The family living in the house is away on vacation, and a friend staying there to keep an eye on the pets lighted the fire in a wood-burning stove, a Mahwah emergency worker told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.
With smoke backing up in the family room, he called a friend to come over and look at the flue. That person spotted flames coming from the back of the chimney wall and called firefighters.
“The caretaker, his friend, and the pets were safely evacuated” and Mahwah firefighters, with assistance from their counterparts in Suffern, had the fire out within an hour.
Structural damage was limited to the chimney, with some minor smoke and water damage to the adjoining rooms.
Streets were lined with cars as a result of a house party, leading to a minor accident involving a Suffern rescue truck.
Then came a 2-alarm fire on Elm Street in Bogota just before midnight. SEE: Young Bogota police officers rescue woman from burning home
The worst was on Harrison Avenue in Hasbrouck Heights, beginning shortly after 3 a.m. (photo above).
Mike Villanova shot this up-close video of the fire:
Firefighters said the flames quickly threatened a neighboring house, requiring evacuations of both.
An aerial hose was brought in as the fire engulfed the second floor and moved toward the third floor, pushing smoke into the attic.
Pockets of flames burst from the eaves as the fire spread before roaring into the air.
PHOTO: Justin Derevyanik
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