3rd Alarm, Bogota, NJ 11/14/08

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Bogota (BERGEN)--NJ--A 3rd Alarm Fire ripped though the old Sifford Pontiac dealership at 250 West Fort Lee Road. Upon arrival firefighters found the building fully involved.

Bogota building's stability questioned following fire

Friday, November 14, 2008
Last updated: Saturday November 15, 2008, EST 9:26 AM

BY SERDAR TUMGOREN

STAFF WRITER, http://www.northjersey.com

BOGOTA — Employees at Bergen Concrete Cutting said they were unable to conduct business after emergency crews blocked access to their building and excess water from the fire is backing up into into their property.

A fire raged for more than hour at a vacant Bogota auto dealership as firefighters from seven municipalities battled the blaze.

The three-alarm fire,reported at 7:11 a.m., is still under investigation by the Bergen County arson squad, said assistant fire chief Ken Kalman.

Kalman said he wouldn't allow emergency responders into the building after questioning the building's stability. The roof collapsed within the hour.

"The volume of fire was so high," Kalman said. "We immediately set up ladder-pipes all around the building to extinguish fire as quickly as possible."

Area schools have been advised to keep their windows closed today because of heavy residual smoke.

Localized fog isn't helping visibility or air quality. Kalman said crews will remain at the site until their are able to confirm that the structure isn't in danger of collapse.

At least a half dozen fire trucks responded to the fire at 250 W. Fort Lee Road, in an industrial nook on the eastern side of the Hackensack River.

Workers at Eastern Concrete, on the opposite side of the road, said the fire began about 7 a.m.

"We got here at 7 a.m., and about 7:15, we turned around and saw smoke coming out of the first floor window," said Joe La Rosa, an Eastern Concrete employee. "And at 7:20 a.m. we saw flames and then the next thing you know, the whole damn place was on fire."

The building formerly served as a Pontiac GMC dealership, but La Rosa and other workers at the scene said the building is vacant and under renovation. Some speculated the property has been leased by a bus company.

The property lies next to a Hess fuel depot and a rental car parking lot.

Emergency workers blocked vehicle access to the bridge spanning the Hackensack River at about 7 a.m. and were preventing pedestrians from crossing the area a half hour later.

The roof of the building collapsed at about 7:45 a.m., igniting a new round of flames that sent a pillar of smoke into the sky.

Police and firefighters at the scene would not immediately comment.

—Ridgefield Park Patriot/Bogota Bulletin reporter Robin DeCicco contributed to this report.