Nabisco factory implosion in Fair Lawn postponed; no new date set
The implosion of the Nabisco factory in Fair Lawn has been postponed.
The event, originally scheduled for April 15 at 8 a.m., does not have a new date or time yet. A reason for the postponement was not listed on the borough’s website or in a recorded message by the borough.
The postponement comes just days after concerned residents started a petition to halt the implosion until their safety concerns could be addressed. Specifically, the petition calls for environmental testing before, during and after the implosion.
It also follows an announcement by nearby Glen Rock that the borough would close all its schools for at least a day after the implosion, which was scheduled for a Saturday, out of an "abundance of caution" over concerns of pollution.
Previously, Controlled Demolition Inc. (CDI), the contractor hired to perform the implosion, said the weather would be monitored in the days leading up to the implosion to ensure safe conditions. There is a state regulation that says no explosives can be set off if weather conditions could create a “low ceiling,” such as a fog or cloud cover, the contractor had said.
CDI was planning to track the weather five days before the implosion to flag any concerns and re-schedule the implosion date if needed. Long-range forecasts currently show clouds and rain for April 15.
Calls to Fair Lawn Mayor Kurt Peluso, CDI and Sessler Wrecking, another demolition contractor working on the site, were not immediately returned Wednesday afternoon. A call to the building department was referred to the borough's automated message.
Neighbors of the Nabisco factory property, many who live in Glen Rock, have expressed concerns in recent weeks about the potential for air contamination and other safety concerns following the site's implosion. A petition, which was signed by 859 people as of Wednesday evening, is calling on Fair Lawn or the site's developer to conduct and pay for independent environmental testing before, during and after the implosion.
No public viewing of implosion
The borough, in that automated message, said there would be no viewing area for residents. Media will be cordoned in an area set up by the Fair Lawn police. The message can be heard at 201-794-5366.
Road closures, parking lot closures and detours will be in place the day of the implosion. The borough is asking people to stay away from the area surrounding the site, which sits on Route 208.
Residents, who were initially told to call the Fair Lawn building department for more information, are now being directed to a phone line for Sessler Wrecking, at 315-651-5082.
Crews began razing the former factory in January, after a six-decade era in which Nabisco, formerly National Biscuit Co., produced Oreos, animal crackers and other snacks on the site. The implosion is to bring down the iconic tower which once held the Nabisco sign.
Mondelēz International Inc., the Chicago-based parent company of Nabisco, sold the 40-acre site for $146.5 million in 2021 to a limited liability company tied to Greek Development of East Brunswick. The company filed a proposal in February to replace the factory with a warehouse.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Nabisco factory implosion in Fair Lawn NJ postponed indefinitely
