Fire closes Route 17 in both directions in Hasbrouck Heights
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS — A massive five-alarm fire created a backdrop of flames at a busy section of Route 17 on Monday morning as it spread from a tanker truck to a building and 26 cars.
No injuries have been reported.
"That’s not typical with these types of accidents at all," Hasbrouck Heights Fire Chief Michael Greco said at the scene. "We usually see multiple fatalities, but we didn’t have that, thank God."
A car crashed into the tanker at about 5 a.m., sparking the blaze in front of the White Castle restaurant, Greco said. The fire nearly spread to a storage warehouse but was stopped in time, which Greco said was a "huge win for us."
Route 17 south reopened at around noon, but the northbound side remained closed.
The highway could stay closed until around lunchtime, Greco said.
Traffic was backed up for miles on Route 17 at Route 120. The closure caused a number of issues, including for two pilots on the ground who were on their way to Teterboro Airport.
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An Uber couldn't reach them where they were staying, so they were forced to walk closer with their luggage, they said.
The fire could be felt across the highway, creating a challenge, Greco said. Traffic on Route 17 posed another problem.
"Believe it or not, at 5 o'clock in the morning a lot of people do travel," the fire chief said, commending the police for clearing traffic.
Greco described the building that caught fire as a one-story commercial building, but no additional details were known.
Check back for more on this developing story.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Route 17 fire in Hasbrouck Heights NJ closes lanes
