NORTH BERGEN – North Bergen officials have revoked Eagle Recycling’s Certificate of Occupancy after a two-alarm fire at the facility last night, forcing the company to immediately cease all operations, according to a press release issued Wednesday by township spokesman Phil Swibinski. The township has also issued a $100,000 fine to the company as well as several citations for alleged safety violations, the release said. Eagle Recycling will not be allowed to reopen until all violations are abated and the fine is paid, the release said.
North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue responded to the fire at the facility late last night, along with representatives from the State Division of Fire Safety, State Department of Environmental Protection and North Hudson Regional Health Commission, according to the release. The area was inspected by North Bergen Fire Official Tom Irving, New Jersey Division of Fire Safety Arson Investigator Jeff Silver and North Bergen Police Detective Pete Insetta. A preliminary determination found that the fire started when a conveyor belt used to move pulverized wood became overheated and caught fire, possibly due to overloading, according to the release.
North Bergen has sanctioned Eagle Recycling for alleged fire safety violations over the past several years, issuing numerous fines.
“North Bergen has been extremely vigilant in sanctioning and fining Eagle Recycling for safety violations and holding them accountable for their operations,” said Mayor Nicholas Sacco. “Our primary concern has always been for the health and safety of our residents and we will not let this company reopen unless every single [alleged] health and safety violation has been corrected.”