Fairfield Fire Department and Area Towns Fight Explosive Overnight Fire at Pio Costa Complex

by Carolyne Volpe Curley / Carolyne@WestEssexNOW.co
Published 11:55pm

Credit: Brandon Cafferata

FAIRFIELD, NJ - Late Saturday night, at about  11:45pm, the Fairfield Fire Department and West Essex First Aid Squad were called to the Pio Costa complex at 1275 Bloomfield Avenue to work on an active structure fire in Building 3.

Throughout the course of the evening, the Caldwell Fire Department, Cedar Grove Fire Department, Essex Fells Fire Department, Lincoln Park Fire Department, Little Falls Fire Department, North Caldwell Fire Department, Roseland Fire Department, Verona Fire Department, West Caldwell Fire Department and Morris County's Pine Brook Fire Department all responded with mutual aid along with the Roseland First Aid Squad.

"Fire crews were met with heavy fire conditions on arrival,"
explained Fairfield Assistant Chief Timothy Connolly.
"An aggressive initial attack proved to be
what stopped this blaze from spreading any further.
The main body of fire was located in building #3 units 53 and 52
which are now deemed a total loss.
Firefighters were able to enter the adjacent businesses on each side
​and hold it back to prevent the spread of flames"

One of the affected units reportedly housed an auto parts warehouse which included motor oils. The firefighters did their utmost to contain the flames which were shooting high into the air, amid live wires and multiple explosions.

The West Essex First Aid Squad arrived at the scene immediately and responded with 

• 4 ambulances
• 1 rescue truck
• 1 Emergency Response Support Vehicle (Rehab truck)

Their role at any fire location is to provide continuous health monitoring of all firefighters, and to attend to any injuries of the responders, or anyone else on the scene. 

Members of the Nutley Fire Department, Totowa Fire Department, Wayne Fire Department all provided coverage at Fairfield's firehouses. 
​
1:00am, the fire was still in progress and a call went out to and then the  to respond for mutual aid. 

At 1:15am, the fire was still going strong and the firefighters began to call for more water pressure on their lines. In response, the Essex Fells Fire Department set up what's called a "hard suction draft" from the Passaic River to provide more water to the firefighters. 

At 1:45am, firefighters also dealt with a gas leak investigation at one of the buildings.

The fire was placed under control at 4:30am and according to Connolly, a small flare-up started again around 6:30am. 

Sunday at 10:15am, a fire engine was dispatched to the scene as a precaution while the Fairfield DPW workers were using construction equipment to pull items out of the buildings.

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