Massive fire at Pepsi factory in New Jersey closes roads; cause under investigation
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — A five-alarm fire at the Pepsi complex in New Jersey filled the air with a plume of acrid smoke and forced the closure of roads around the burning complex on Tuesday night.
Firefighters from around the region — including the New Jersey State Forest Fire Service — were on the scene in an effort to control the mammoth blaze Piscataway Mayor Brian C. Wahler said the fire was under control on Tuesday night, less than 4½-hours after it was first reported.
Two firefighters had been injured battling the conflagration. One was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital New Brunswick for heat exhaustion. Another was treated at the scene for a shoulder injury.
Wahler said there has been a significant response from emergency services throughout the region and they would be rotating in and out during the overnight hours. He asked that the public stay away from the scene to allow firefighters and other emergency personnel to be able to do their jobs.
The blaze started outside the facility — which is the company’s main bottling plant for the Tri-State Area — although the cause remained unknown and was under investigation, Wahler said.
The fire climbed up the building’s exterior and into the eaves of the roof and got into the interior of the building that way, he said.
A statement from Pepsi media relations read: “On Tuesday evening, a fire started outside of the Pepsi plant and warehouse in Piscataway, New Jersey. Details of how the fire started will be investigated.
The statement added: "First responders are on-site working to ensure the fire is controlled and quickly put out. All employees and people who were in the facility have been evacuated with no injuries.”
A Paste BN Network photographer could see flames, some as high as 12 feet, from the street illuminating the night sky. Firefighters were also searching nearby woods for possible hot spots.
“This has been here since the late ‘80s and there had never been a fire here before, Wahler said. “If you drink Mountain Dew, it comes from Piscataway,” he said.
While the fire was under control, there were four trucks to pour water onto the roof and firefighters would be doing so through the night. They were rushing water from New Market Pond to supplement their reserves, he explained.
“From what I understand, all the drills they’ve done throughout the years paid off,” the mayor said.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the municipal government wrote: “A major structural fire is occurring in Piscataway and residents are asked to avoid New Brunswick Avenue, Carlton Avenue and Lakeview Avenue to enable first responder vehicles to access it. Please do not drive over to view the site and please stay inside if you can.”