West New York & Union City Fires

Written by: Everest Saric

On Wednesday, February 9th, two fires broke out in West New York and Union City. The fire swept through the commercial district across Bergenline’s 60th and 61st street. At least five businesses were destroyed, including a nail salon, a beauty supply store, and a pizza shop.

The fire started around 4:30 am that morning, and several people were given instructions to evacuate the area immediately. A second fire broke out later that morning, around 9 am. The scene was just about two and a half miles from the original fire. Joseph Isola, director of Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue explained, “This was a tough one to fight. [I] believe it started in the basement, traveled throughout the void.”

No one was hurt as a result of the fires. Unfortunately, ten families have been displaced. Several residents were not able to attend their jobs, because their cars were parked near the fire. Citizens were unable to retrieve their cars from the fire zone for some time. Local towns, including Jersey City, Bloomfield, Secaucus, and Montclair sent aid. It is still uncertain what caused the fires to start. Many people wonder if the two fires are connected, as both burned down key shopping areas.