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WEST NEW YORK, New Jersey (WABC) -- Ten firefighters were injured and more than a dozen residents were displaced after a fire tore through an apartment in West New York, New Jersey Thursday night.

Citizen App video showed fierce flames billowing from the building located on Bergenline Avenue at 53rd Street. The fire was in an apartment above a pharmacy.

It wasn't the kind of Thanksgiving West New York residents hoped for. Their apartments were blackened and charred after being ravaged by the flames.

"We were about to cut the turkey literally and then this happened," neighbor Peter Reynoso said. "It's pretty sad our Thanksgiving got ruined. Our pets, we can't find one of them. It's a horrible night."

Neighbors had to get out with their cats, immediately, when the building two doors down on Bergenline Avenue collapsed.

"They were sitting by the window, and they got like knocked down and everything shook inside the apartment, it was really loud," Reynoso said.

North Hudson fire officials say an explosion caused the roof to come crumbling down with firefighters on top of it.

Ten firefighters were injured, including two seriously. One still remains hospitalized Friday with non-life-threatening injuries.

"I got a call that we had three members missing we had a mayday and your heart just drops," West New York Fire Chief David Donnarumma said.

Donnarumma says the explosion happened as firefighters were battling flames shooting out the window of the three-story corner building. The blast turned the building next to it into rubble.

"It's a sad day for the township of West New York they with their residents, cause people are displaced, they lost their residences and lost their belongings," he said. "It's a difficult day for the firefighters, not because we had to work but because of the injuries. Now their families will be suffering as well."

Luckily, firefighters were able to get everyone out, rescuing several residents. Others were able to self evacuate.

The fire has been placed under control, but the damage has already been done.

Twenty people have been displaced. The Red Cross says they are assisting at least 10 families.

"On a holiday they're crying," witness Christian Moranchel said. "Their families trying to console them, hugging them. Just feel bad for them."

The cause of the fire and explosion are under investigation but foul play is not suspected.

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Upscale 10-Story building in desirable Hudson County location

By

Linda Lindner(West New York )

-

October 2, 2023

The Station in West New York. - AIRN Management LLC

The Station, a new luxury apartment building in the heart of West New York, has quickly proven to be a standout performer in Hudson County’s red-hot rental market.

Developer AIRN Management LLC and RHO Residential, exclusive marketing and leasing agent for the striking 10-story building, announced that over 80% of the Station’s 97 residences has been leased just three short months after opening — a testament to the property’s widespread appeal in one of the country’s most competitive rental markets.

Situated at 4901 Bergenline Ave., the Station offers a boutique collection of one- and two-bedroom homes within a lively business and retail corridor and near convenient mass transportation into Manhattan. Directly across the street from the building is the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, which makes the Hudson River waterfront and exciting neighborhoods in Hoboken and Jersey City easily accessible.

Available homes at the Station include oversized two-bedroom layouts priced from $3,400 and offered with limited time incentives of one month free on a 13- to 15-month lease. Immediate occupancy is available.

“When introducing the Station, we were confident the building had all the ingredients needed to attract renters within Hudson County’s surging apartment market,” Brenda Cioce, president of RHO Residential, said. “With expansive and highly functional floorplans, a complete package of modern amenities and a commuter friendly location right outside New York City, the building quickly resonated with residents looking for a brand-new home and a dynamic lifestyle minutes from Manhattan. Add in an attractive price structure that provides exceptional value, and it’s no surprise we’ve been able to achieve incredible leasing velocity in such a short time.”

With architecture by Jose Carballo Architecture Group, a Michael Graves company, thoughtfully-designed residences at the Station feature kitchens with quartz countertops with mosaic backsplashes, custom two-tone cabinetry and stainless-steel appliances. Luxury bathrooms are adorned with porcelain tile flooring. Homes offer panoramic views of the surrounding urban landscape. Each residence also includes an in-home washer and dryer.

A full suite of recreational and social amenities designed to enhance resident life includes a fully-furnished resident lounge with coworking space, state-of-the-art fitness center and an expansive rooftop with New York City skyline views. Services include private controlled access, a package receiving area and on-site maintenance team.

Street-level retail space at the Station will soon be home to a fresh grocer that is sure to become a highly-popular community destination for premium produce, baked goods and custom-cut meats.

“The Station is blocks from New Jersey Transit buses and minutes to New York Waterway ferries, which whisk residents to the diverse offering of entertainment, restaurants and nightlife of New York City,” Cioce added.

Acting New Jersey Comptroller Kevin Walsh today outlined why nine municipalities are not in compliance with the 2010 sick leave law, including the Town of West New York.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“Two of West New York’s union contracts are phrased so as to limit payment for accrued sick leave to the statutory maximum. Another union contract allows payment of up to $18,000 for any accrued sick leave at resignation, death, or retirement,” the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller released publicly today.

“OSC found that the terms of one of West New York’s union contracts do not comply with the 2010 law with regard to payment of accrued sick leave by allowing payment at a time other than at retirement and more than $15,000 for employees hired after May 21, 2010.”

By state law, all employees hired after May 2010 cannot receive more than $15,000 for unused sick leave. Employees can only receive that $15,000 at retirement – not when they resign, change jobs, or as an annual payout.

In July 2022, Walsh released a report that surveyed 60 municipalities and their sick leave practices, and a whopping 57 were out of compliance with state law, including Hoboken, Union City, and West New York.

In a follow up report released last week, the OSC revealed that nine municipalities, with West New York being the only one in Hudson County, still not in compliance. At the time, they did not disclose any particulars, but that ended up happening today.

The OSC indicates that West New York was made aware of their findings on July 26th, 2022 and detailed the requirements for a corrective action plan (CAP) which came with a September 30th deadline.

The town was allegedly told on October 7th that their CAP was overdue and gave them a courtesy of an additional two weeks, October 21st. On October 18th, West New York provided the OSC with a copy of their employee manual.

“Because West New York had responded to a draft of OSC’s original report outlining certain changes it intended to make, OSC considered that to be West New York’s CAP,” the OSC wrote.

“OSC’s response on April 27, 2023 noted that West New York’s CAP did not address whether it had conducted or planned to conduct an independent fiscal assessment to identify possible improper payments. OSC also noted that the CAP needed to be approved by the governing body. OSC requested an updated CAP to address these concerns by May 26, 2023. To date, West New York has not responded to the April correspondence.”

West New York was also one of seven municipalities identified as missing an independent fiscal assessment.

In last week’s follow up report, Walsh included a letter to state leaders where he recommended withholding state funding for municipalities that do not adopt the CAP within 30 days.

A West New York spokesman did not respond to an inquiry seeking comment.

News 12 has obtained exclusive video showing the moments a West New York apartment building collapsed during a raging fire on Thanksgiving Day. The building is located on 53rd Street and Bergenline Avenue.

While construction crews are working to recover the building, the North Hudson Fire chief says first responders are working to recover physically and mentally. Eight firefighters were hurt and 19 people were left homeless.

“I’ve been on the job for over 30 years. I haven’t been at a fire where there was a smoke explosion or a backdraft. This fire had both,” North Hudson Fire & Rescue Chief David Donnarumma said.

Crews used their entire apparatus and all manpower to respond to the three-alarm fire that evening.

“First it flew people into the air on the roof, people in the building were thrown into walls, people were thrown down staircases, so we got banged up, bruises all over,” Donnarumma said.

MORE: 8 firefighters injured battling large fire at West New York apartment building

As flames erupted from the second floor, mayday messages were called as the roof collapsed, trapping three firefighters.

“The furniture within the apartment stopped the roof from collapsing all the way down so the firefighters weren’t propelled into the apartment. They stayed on the roof but in the crevice, so we were able to rescue them with other firefighters,” Donnarumma said.

Two people inside were rescued while firefighters were sent to the hospital for serious and minor injuries. Firefighter Lou Isip is seen in a video leaving the hospital surrounded by team members after being taken in for several broken ribs, a broken ankle and a fractured foot. Others are recovering from things like smoke inhalation, bruises, and sprains.

“We were fortunate that it was no civilians injured, no civilians lost, the pain to the fire department was something because of the injuries and the injuries fester at home as well because it’s difficult to the families on a holiday,” Donnarumma added.

The chief says an event like this can also cause psychological trauma that could take quite a while to recover from. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

While it's not looking like a whopper of a storm, Friday's system is promising around 1 to 3 inches of snow, perhaps a little more south and west of New York City where it's more organized.

The First Alert Weather team is tracking all the models to keep you up to date.

Heads up: Alternate Side Parking regulations are suspended Friday in New York City, but public schools will be open as scheduled.

Timeline & totals

7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday: Snow develops from west to east. Snow on the ground: Dusting-coating.

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday: Periods of light to moderate snow. Snow on the ground: 1-2".

4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday: Snow tapers off. Snow on the ground: Nearly 2".

Whether you're a snow lover – or not exactly a fan of the white stuff – the math's telling us we're not exactly where we should be for the middle part of January. As it stands now, Central Park is among a handful of locations across the area with deficits ranging from -5.9" (Bridgeport, CT) to as much as -8.2" (Newark, NJ). As of today, Central Park's deficit is -7.8".

So, even if we overachieve with this next system, we can afford to get some more.

Alerts & advisories

We have issued a Yellow Alert for light to moderate accumulation, making for some slick travel, especially during the evening commute.

A Winter Weather Advisory will be in place for parts of the area, plus a Winter Storm Warning for Ocean and Monmouth counties where there is the potential for 3-5 inches of snow in a narrow heavy band.

Cold air is for certain through the weekend. What about next week? Well, don't hold your breath, snow lovers, because after the big chill comes the big climb.

Check the latest conditions from the First Alert Weather Team.