Massive Passaic Co. Fire Needs Federal Investigation: Rep. Bill Pascrell

PASSAIC, NJ — Rep. Bill Pascrell called for a federal investigation Tuesday into the massive fire at a Passaic chemical plant. The congressman called on the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board to look into the blaze that began Jan. 14 and took days to extinguish.

Crews from Passaic and more than 100 neighboring towns battled the blaze at the Majestic Industries warehouse and Qualco pool chemical plant. The flames engulfed about 100,000 pounds of chlorine stored at the plant, causing more than $15 million in damage, according to Pascrell.

Related article: NJ Chemical Plant Fire Contained, Evacuations Avoided

Pascrell, who represents New Jersey's 9th Congressional District, wants the Chemical Safety Board to "further understand" the safety precautions Qualco and Majestic Industries took to avoid the "ever-present danger of fire at the aging buildings." He also called on the agency to determine further recommendations regarding chemical storage, monitoring and fire safety.

“While we narrowly avoided a chemical catastrophe in Passaic, serious questions remain about the proximate cause of the fire and scope of the hazard posed by the substances stored at the Qualco plant,” Pascrell wrote to Dr. Andrea Lemos, chairperson of the Chemical Safety Board.

Firefighters prevented the Passaic blaze from reaching the main chemical plant, which could have endangered the densely populated city, Mayor Hector Lora told the AP.

Nearby residents were advised to close their windows but didn't have to evacuate, with officials saying the air quality was acceptable but would be monitored. Some residents still fled.

People in New York City could see and smell the heavy smoke. The chemical plant housed plastics, pallets and chlorine, officials told the AP.

The Chemical Safety Board began in the wake of a 1995 Napp Technologies chemical plant fire in Lodi that killed five people and injured dozens, according to Pascrell. The agency conducts root investigations of chemical accidents at industrial facilities.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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