Fair Lawn, N.J. strip mall fire leaves businesses in ruins

FAIR LAWN, N.J. -- A fire burned through a strip mall overnight in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and severely damaged businesses.

The fire started inside the Green Dragon restaurant at the shopping complex on Fair Lawn Avenue near Chandler Drive at around 2:40 a.m. Friday, authorities said.

Firefighters spent over three hours relentlessly attacking the inferno, while witnesses said the flames seemed unstoppable at times.

"You could see, like, the flames kind of started going horizontally across the rooftop and then one by one there would just be like some big, giant fireball, even though they were spraying a ton of water on it," said Nati Burnside.

Roof collapsed into bakery

The owner of Zadies Kosher Bake Shop, among those who anxiously watched firefighters trying to save their businesses, said his head baker first noticed something at the restaurant next door and called 911 at around 2:30 a.m.

"He felt hot. He felt like the bakery was getting hot and smoky. So he went outside and went to the back and saw that the Green Dragon was very smoky," said Josh Steinberg.

Firefighters tried entering through the rear of the restaurant, but the fire had spread too quickly and compromised the roof, which collapsed into the bakery.

In total, 50 firefighters from multiple departments were needed to get the upper hand. But the damage was already done.

"It's out of your control. You feel helpless."

"I would say it's an extensive loss, yes. And obviously there was fire in the building, in the common cockloft which ran the length of the building," said Douglas Sadowski, with the Fair Lawn Fire Department.

"You can't do anything. It's out of your control. You feel helpless. You want to try and help, but you can't. And you just have to literally sit there and watch your business, our business, and every other business in the lot just crumbling," said Steinberg.

Despite the extensive damage, no one was injured.

Other businesses severely damaged

The fire remains under investigation, but businesses in the plaza -- including restaurants, a barbershop and a salon -- were severely damaged.

"Heard the news and as the pictures and videos were coming in, we just couldn't believe what was happening," said Shey Flynn, who owns the barbershop. "A lot of the firemen working the fire come to our barbershop to get a haircut."

Flynn and his wife were in business for five years at the locations, beating the odds. First, the pandemic hit. Then, a car crashed into their shop.

"We did all the renovations during the pandemic, when I was pregnant," said Jess Flynn. "There's a lot of memories in there. A lot of memories."

"The fire caused widespread damage to all the businesses located in the strip mall," an earlier statement by the fire department said. "It's obviously devastating to lose these small businesses as people lose their livelihoods."

Bakery was in business for nearly 2 decades

Steinberg said Zadies was going to mark 19 years in business on Saturday and that he plans to rebuild.

"I don't think that this is salvageable right now. The whole complex looks done," he said.

New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a regular customer at Zadies, said he'll do whatever he can to help.

"It's heartbreaking. I mean, not just for the business owner but to the entire community," said Gottheimer.

The congressman mentioned the possibility of finding temporary locations for the businesses.