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5 firefighters hurt: A massive fire and explosion left five firefighters hurt on Sunday.
A large fire caused an explosion at a building in northern New Jersey that left five firefighters injured on Sunday, according to reports.
The five-alarm blaze caused a large backdraft that shattered a window at a building in Harrison, reported The Associated Press. None of the firefighters were seriously injured.
“We saw flames from the very top of the second building from the corner,” Matthew Gorsky, who lives nearby, told CBS News.
The fire erupted on Sunday morning and burned for several hours before it was controlled. It is not year what the exact cause of the blaze was, but was sparked in a restaurant on the ground floor before it consumed the building. The fire spread to another apartment building.
The fire and smoke forced officials to reroute the West Hudson St. Patrick’s Day parade, according to CBS.
Harrison fire Capt. Robert Gillen told CBS that “when that glass blew out, he got it all in his face and his body,” referring to a battalion chief who got injured. “He was bleeding profusely,” he said.
“All you need is an entrance of more oxygen, and it’s just a massive explosion,” Gillen added. “A massive explosion.”
A spokesperson with the New Jersey Red Cross said they are assisting 17 people who were displaced by the fire, according to NBC News.
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