Five-alarm brush fire in Teaneck spreads across 10 acres, sends firefighter to hospital

Nicholas Katzban and John Connolly, NorthJersey.com
Updated ·2 min read

A brush fire in a wooded area near Overpeck Park and Teaneck Creek Conservancy on Tuesday night spread to 10 acres, closed ramps to nearby highways and sent one firefighter to the hospital, authorities stated.

At 8:30 p.m., Lt. Michael Moliere of the Teaneck police said crews were beginning to get control over the blaze, which rose to five alarms. He warned nearby residents to stay away from the park and remain in their homes.

Dry vegetation continued to burn, forcing officers to close the neighborhood to all traffic between Teaneck Road and Frank W. Burr Boulevard, leaving no access to Route 80 and the New Jersey Turnpike from Degraw Avenue.

The Hackensack Fire Department on the scene of a 3-alarm brush fire in Teaneck Creek Conservancy.
The Hackensack Fire Department on the scene of a 3-alarm brush fire in Teaneck Creek Conservancy.

"Other than the wooded area, there’s no damage to homes," Moliere said, noting there had been concern that residents would need to evacuate, but the department had deemed such a measure unnecessary.

The fire, which began around 7 p.m., has affected about 10 acres of land, Township Manager Dean Kazinci said in a release. The cause of the fire is not known. Crews from 14 Bergen County municipalities responded to assist the Teaneck Fire Department, he said.

A firefighter was treated at the scene for chest pains and taken to Holy Name medical center, Kazinci said.

He said fire crews will continue to put out hot spots throughout the night and advised drivers to avoid the area until further notice.

Kathleen Farley, the Teaneck Creek Conservancy director, said the conservancy was not affected by the blaze.

Earlier that day, a fire at a recycling plant near Liberty State Park in Jersey City spread to brush and caused issues for NJ Transit, which had to shut down a portion of its Hudson-Bergen Light Rail between Liberty State Park and 45th Street in Bayonne.

Later that night, the agency continued to carry passengers along the route using bus service.

Smoke can be seen rising to the sky around 7:30 p.m. from Overpeck Park on Tuesday, April 12, 2023.
Smoke can be seen rising to the sky around 7:30 p.m. from Overpeck Park on Tuesday, April 12, 2023.

On Tuesday, the state Department of Environmental Protection put North Jersey on alert for a "very high" risk of forest fires, the second-highest risk rating on the agency's dashboard.

However, the DEP did not limit campfires or controlled burns on farms.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Teaneck NJ brush fire reaches five alarms, spreads to 10 acres