Firefighters worked to contain a massive blaze at a chemical plant in New Jersey on Friday night that was burning out of control.
The firefighter was hospitalized in unknown condition after the fire erupted at the Qualco plant in Passaic, New Jersey. No other injuries were reported.
Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost Sr. said the main structure’s roof and walls all went up in flames. He said about 200 firefighters were on scene and that the fire was by no means was it under control.
The 100,000 square foot facility includes chloride pellets, some of which have burned, Mayor Hector Carlos Lora said during a Facebook Live video.
Lora said the fire had not made it to the main chlorine plant.
“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,” Lora said.
Lora encouraged residents to stay indoors and close their windows as a precaution. Gov. Phil Murphy echoed that advice and said he was praying for first responders.
Shawn LaTourette, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection, said air quality officials were monitoring the situation.
NBC New York forecaster Bill Karens said the wind was carrying smoke to Newark and the New York City neighborhood of Staten Island.
The blaze near the Passaic River sent smoke into the skyline north of New York City as flames rose above the building. It progressed so fast that it went from 10 to 11 alarms during Lora’s video.