The ATF was not able to determine the cause of a massive fire at the Veterans Industrial Park in Hillsborough. Watch video
HILLSBOROUGH -- Agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives National Response Team announced Tuesday it has concluded its investigation of the massive fire at the Veterans Industrial Park warehouse complex off Route 206, determining the fire started in the high rack storage area of building 14 in the west side of Unit C.
The ignition source of the fire couldn't be determined and the blaze has been classified as undetermined, but there was no indication that the fire was caused by an intentional act, according to the release.
The building space is leased to Central Moving and Storage, according to Hillsborough Township Clerk Pamela Borek.
More than 500 firefighters battled blaze
Here are some facts about the fire:
- 24 - It took almost 24 hours to bring the blaze under control. The five-alarm fire was first reported in the afternoon of Feb. 11 and continued into the evening of Feb. 12. Firefighters were still putting hot spots out on Feb. 13.
- 50 - Smoke from the fire could be seen for 50 miles, and by Friday night a plume showed up on weather radar stretching eastward from Somerset County to Long Branch.
- 2 - The number of firefighters injured in the blaze. Both had minor injuries - one a leg injury and another an eye injury.
- 200 - The number of emergency vehicles from more than 90 fire companies from five counties that responded to the blaze.
- $50 million - The minimum dollar amount of property damage and contents lost in the fire.
- 500,000 - The number of square feet destroyed in the blaze, which spread across two, 240,000-square-foot buildings.
- 70 - the number of leads investigators tracked down while investigating the fire. Investigators also interviewed 50 people.
- 12,500 - The number of barrels of mercury once stored at the site when it was a Defense Logistics Agency Depot. The depot, dating back to the 1940s, was decommissioned and turned into a warehouse complex. The current warehouses were not built on land where the mercury was stored.
- 500 - the number of firefighters who battled the blaze. Firefighters worked 10- to 12-hour shifts with anywhere from 50 to 100 firefighters working at any one time to battle the blaze. Six to 10 ladders were operating at the peak of the fire.
- 5 - Agencies involved in investigating the fire ranged from the ATF's National Response Team and ATF agents from the Newark, New York and Philadelphia Field Divisions, together with investigators from the Hillsborough Township Fire Marshal's Office, the Hillsborough Township Police Department, the New Jersey State Fire Marshal's Office, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Inspector General. "Investigating a fire of this size is truly a team effort," ATF Newark Field Division Special Agent in Charge George P. Belsky said. "We appreciate the dedication of our federal, state and local partners working with us to thoroughly investigate this fire to determine its origin and cause."
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
