The city’s mayor asked nearby residence to keep their windows closed..
These are the facts known at this time..
Residents were evacuated Friday night after an 11-alarm fire erupted in a chemical plant close to downtown Passaic, New Jersey.
The roof of the Qualco chemical plant collapsed, and the building was expected to be a total loss, according to fire officials.
Hundreds of firefighters from Passaic and surrounding towns were still battling the blaze into Saturday morning. The flames and smoke were visible for about 10 miles.
Qualco, about 13 miles west of Manhattan, makes chlorine for pools and spas. Plastics and pallets were also stored on site, according to officials. The fire also struck nearby Majestic Industries, which manufactures casino furniture.
The town has 70,000 residents.. people were told to close their windows..
At press time, the fire did not reach the main chlorine storage section, said Passaic Mayor Hector Lora. “If the fire were to hit the main chemical plant, it would obviously create issues beyond what our immediate resources would be able to resolve,” he added at a Facebook Live press conference.
Videos of the event show the intensity of the fire:
The 200,000 square-foot plant is located at 225 Passaic Street, near Route 21 and the Passaic River. The back structure of the plant did partially collapse in the very early hours of Saturday morning.
New York City officials said that smoke from the blaze may be seen or smelled in the city. The Department of Environmental Protection was in Passaic to monitor air quality..
DEVELOPING..