Two firefighters were taken to the hospital
after a 5-alarm fire broke out Tuesday night at the PepsiCo factory in
Piscataway.
The fire broke out just after 6 p.m. outside
the factory on New Brunswick Avenue. The fire sent large plumes of black smoke
into the sky, which could be seen for miles.
Bright orange flames were also seen on the roof
of the building. One witness described the scene as a “tornado of fire.” Others
reported hearing loud explosions from miles away.
Officials say all PepsiCo employees were safely
evacuated. The plant manager says the staff trains for emergencies like this on
a regular basis. No employees were hurt.
More than 100 firefighters from Piscataway and
surrounding towns came to battle the fire. One volunteer firefighter was taken
to the hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion. Another suffered a shoulder
injury. Both are expected to be OK.
Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler says crews are
expected to be at the scene through the night. He is asking all residents to
stay clear of the area. New Brunswick Avenue, Carlton Avenue and Lakeview
Avenue are closed.
“You’ll have a lot of personnel coming in to
relieve those here from the beginning…You don’t need to see it. Watch it on
News 12, if you want to see what’s going on, that’s the best way. Sit home and
let the emergency services people do their jobs,” the mayor says.
Whaler says that hazmat teams are
monitoring the air quality, but there does not seem to be cause for concern about
hazardous materials.
A small brush fire was put out early on. The
state Forest Fire Service is also on scene.
The cause of the fire was not immediately
known.
