SECAUCUS – Firefighters discovered a fire involving garbage in a remote area used as a waste transfer facility inside Allegro Sanitation at 278 Secaucus Rd., after being called for a water flow alarm at approximately 11:45 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4. Piles of garbage 10 feet high limited access to the seat of the fire near a back wall. Heavy equipment operated by firefighters was used to remove burning piles of garbage from the building so fire crews on the exterior could extinguish the fire, and an aerial ladder (SFD Ladder 1) was extended to project water over the piles and onto the fire (pictured).
A second alarm was transmitted 20 minutes into the incident and a third alarm one hour after the first units arrived to relieve exhausted crews. The fire was brought under control in an hour and a half but there were numerous hot spots which required units to remain until 8 a.m. Saturday morning.
One Secaucus firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and was treated by Meadowlands Hospital EMS at the scene, then released.
Mutual Aid Units from Hudson and Bergen Counties assisted both at the scene and for coverage at the Secaucus firehouses. A total of 75 firefighters fought the fire. Secaucus Police Department and Meadowlands Hospital EMS also responded.
Allegro Sanitation was closed at the time the fire was reported. It was allowed to reopen after emergency units cleared the scene. Secaucus Road was closed in both directions for eight hours.
Fire damage to the building was minimal. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
75 firefighters battle three-alarm blaze at sanitation facility
