Video: 'Everything Is Burning!' Child Says Of Bound Brook Fire

BOUND BROOK, NJ — A horrified child can be heard yelling, "Everything is burning!" as a massive seven-alarm fire destroys Bound Brook's downtown on Sunday night, according to a video as seen on the Neighbors app.

In the video you can hear bystanders speaking in Spanish saying "Look!", "It's so hot", and "Oh my God!" Towards the end of the video you can also hear a child yell out in English, "Everything is burning! Now they gotta change the house."

A neighbor filmed the video of the fire Sunday that ripped through a new-construction apartment building complex called Meridia 2 near the train station, at 7:53 p.m. (See Related: Roads, Schools Impacted After 7-Alarm Fire Rages In Bound Brook)

Juan Hector Padilla, 28, of East Second Street in Bound Brook has since been arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated arson and third-degree hindering investigation apprehension/false information in connection with the fire. (See Related: Bound Brook Man Charged With Setting Massive 7-Alarm Fire)

In the video fire truck sirens can also be heard responding. The Bound Brook Fire Department, along with 36 fire companies from Somerset, Middlesex, Union, Hunterdon, and Mercer Counties, as well as the New Jersey State Forestry Service responded to put out the fire.

Due to radiant heat and wind, the fire spread quickly throughout the building and to adjacent buildings located on Main Street.

It then spread to another apartment building across the street called the "WeMa" for West Main Street and two other adjacent buildings, including a rooming house that had six residents and another apartment building with six units, Bound Brook Mayor Bob Fazen said.

Two properties, which were totally destroyed by the fire, left 12 to 15 residents permanently displaced. Eight other properties were temporarily evacuated pending the demolition of 17-15 West Main Street. As a result, about 20 residents have been temporarily displaced, said Jasmine D. Mathis, Bound Brook's assistant administrator/deputy clerk.

Volunteers and donations are being sought to help. (See Related: Volunteers, Donations Needed To Help Victims Of Bound Brook Fire)

Ring, the owner of the Neighbors app, is a Patch advertiser. Patch received no compensation for this article.

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