The fire broke just after 5:30 a.m. in Elizabeth, New Jersey, authorities said.
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"Four or five o'clock, I smelled something. I thought I might have left something on stove. I said no, it's not that," said Lonnie Dillworth, an eyewitness.
Flames could be seen raging through the large industrial buildings. The fire started in building F6 and has spread to several buildings in the complex. More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene.
"I happened to look out my bedroom and I saw all this smoke," Dillworth said.
Firefighters were initially set back by numerous dead fire hydrants at the complex.
Three roof collapses occurred so far, firefighters did set up a collapse zone as they positioned mutual aid firetrucks around the burning buildings.
The FDNY also sent a fireboat to help battle the blaze from the water.
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"I just spoke with the governor, and I asked the governor to send DEP here for air monitoring qualities. We are going to be notifying the residents in the neighborhood of the reports of the air monitoring from DEP and EPA will coordinate with the neighboring counties in Staten Island. We are also working with the water company and we will notify the residents in the neighborhood of possibly lack of water issues going forward because the amount of water to put this out, it is more of trying to contain it right now," said Chris Bollwage, Mayor of Elizabeth.
Now known as Elizabeth Industrial Park, the complex houses multiple businesses on the south end of Newark Airport.
"There are many warehouses, small warehouses in the back. The exact number don't know. The building manager is on site, they have informed us that the buildings where this fire is currently engulfed has no pedestrians, no workers overnight. The buildings are locked up. We dont expect anyone to be in these buildings," Bollwage said.
The buildings on fire appear to be located behind a two-block-long streetside structure that dates back to 1900 and once housed the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Now, it appears toys may have been being manufactured in that building.
Due to the fire, nearby schools were on a delayed start or closed for Friday.
Retired Jersey City Fire Chief Steven McGill said that the building is made up of heavy timber with 12x12 beams and columns. "Once that stuff starts burning the fire load is intense and it takes a lot of water to put it out."
Retired NJ fire chief details Elizabeth firefighting operation
If it is toys burning, "Plastics are toxic and you don't want to breathe that in, firefighters will be on air, even if they are outside," McGill said.
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This fire will likely burn for days, McGill predicted. He said that the priority now is protecting neighboring buildings and keeping the fire from spreading.
"There were rescue squads, police. Even fire trucks as far at Summit, New Jersey. So I knew it was something," Dillworth said.
There is no word yet on what caused the fire or if there are any injuries. No one was in the buildings at the time that the fire broke out.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.