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Alexander Regalado, 18, was arrested and a juvenile was detained after they were identified as responsible for the multi-alarm Fourth of July weekend fire on Fairview Street off Grand Avenue, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
The fire, which ravaged the warehouse and damaged a neighboring building, wasn’t fully extinguished for nearly six hours.
Route 46 was closed in both directions at one point because of the thick smoke and a firefighter sustained what was characterized as a minor injury.
Firefighters doused pockets of flame as the night wore on. Mutual aid responders included firefighters from Bogota, Cliffside Park, Edgewater, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fairview, Fort Lee, Leonia, Moonachie, Ridgefield, Ridgefield Park, Teaneck and Tenafly.
Capt. Anthony Espino, the Palisades Park Police Department’s officer in charge, cited the “expeditious investigatory work” of borough Detective Rory Tennant and his fellow investigators at the prosecutor’s office, which led to the identification of the suspects.
Musella said that Regalado was arrested and the juvenile detained last Wednesday, July 12.
The prosecutor didn’t explain why the announcement took his office nearly a week, giving Regalado an opportunity to be brought into court in Hackensack on Monday and ordered released by a judge, records show.
Musella also didn’t offer a possible motive.
Regalado is charged with aggravated arson, employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime, attempting to cause widespread injury or damage, conspiracy, arson and criminal trespass.
The juvenile wasn't identified because of his age. He was sent to the Bergen County Juvenile Detention Center in Teterboro after detectives signed delinquency complaints that will be heard behind closed doors in the Family Part of Superior Court in Hackensack.
The charges are the same as those against Regalado except for one.
Damien Danis took the photos at the scene and contributed to this account.
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