A severe fire ravaged a strip mall in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, overnight, resulting in substantial damage to several businesses. The blaze began inside the Green Dragon restaurant, located at the shopping complex on Fair Lawn Avenue near Chandler Drive, around 2:40 a.m. on Friday.

Fire Origin and Impact

The fire originated in the Green Dragon restaurant and quickly spread throughout the strip mall. Witnesses reported seeing a “giant fireball” and described the flames as uncontrollable despite the firefighters’ efforts. “You could see, like, the flames kind of started going horizontally across the rooftop and then one by one there would just be like some big, giant fireball,” said Nati Burnside, a witness who was astonished by the intensity of the fire. The situation escalated rapidly, and firefighters spent over three hours battling the blaze. The fire’s rapid spread compromised the building’s structure, leading to the collapse of the roof and making it difficult for emergency responders to contain the flames.

Witnesses and Response

Josh Steinberg, the owner of Zadies Kosher Bake Shop, was among those who watched the devastating scene unfold. His head baker first noticed the problem around 2:30 a.m. when he felt the bakery becoming hot and smoky. Upon investigation, the baker discovered the neighboring Green Dragon restaurant engulfed in smoke and immediately called 911. Firefighters initially attempted to access the restaurant from the rear, but the rapidly spreading fire and collapsing roof hindered their efforts. A total of 50 firefighters from multiple departments were eventually required to bring the situation under control. Despite their extensive efforts, the damage was extensive.

Community Loss and Investigation

The fire resulted in severe damage to various businesses within the plaza, including restaurants, a barbershop, and a salon. The Fair Lawn Fire Department reported that the fire caused widespread destruction throughout the strip mall, deeply affecting the local community. “It’s devastating to lose these small businesses as people lose their livelihoods,” a fire department statement noted.

Josh Steinberg expressed the emotional toll of the disaster, noting that Saturday would have marked 19 years since Zadies opened. “You can’t do anything. It’s out of your control. You feel helpless. You want to try and help, but you can’t. And you just have to sit there and watch your business, our business, and every other business in the lot just crumbling,” he said. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries from the incident. The cause of the fire remains under investigation as officials work to determine what sparked the catastrophic blaze. The community is left to grapple with the extensive loss and the impact on local businesses.