Officials Discuss Preventing Devastating Apartment Complex Fires

Wayne officials are trying to ensure the town does not have another fire like the ones that destroyed apartment complexes at the Brittany Chase development or part of the AvalonBay apartment complex in Edgewater.

Councilwoman Lonni Miller-Ryan had Joe Albanese, the town’s construction code official, speak at council meeting Wednesday about what can be done to make developers construct buildings that will not be so vulnerable to horrific fires.

“I feel like we’re not giving people enough time to get out,” Miller-Ryan said.

The fire at Brittany Chase started at the top floor of the building and spread quickly. The three-story building’s roof collapsed and all 24 apartment units were safely evacuated.

AvalonBay has applied to build a 422-until complex in the southeast section of Wayne two days before the Edgewater fire, NJ.com reported in February.

“Until we put pressure on them at a state level, there isn’t much we can do,” Albanese said. “What we can do on a local level is bring our concerns to officials.”

Assemblyman Scott Rumana, a former Wayne mayor, introduced a bill Feb. 12 calling for the Department of Community Affairs to evaluate the safety of the construction used at AvalonBay. The legislation would place a moratorium on complexes using a light-frame construction until the evaluation is complete.