Call it a signature North Jersey factory fire.
On Jan. 14-15, 2002, an 11-alarm blaze burned through the night at Majestic Industries and the Qualco chemical plant in Passaic, engulfing adjacent buildings.
"There have been bad fires before, but this is the worst I’ve ever seen,” Passaic Mayor Hector Lora said. In 1985, Passaic's Labor Day fire gutted dozens on structures and took the fire of a Secaucus firefighter who suffered a heart attack.
A flammable combination of plastics, wooden pallets and chlorine were stored in the building bordering the Passaic River where the latest fire started, Passaic Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost told reporters.
On Jan. 30, 2019, a fire of similar magnitude leveled the famed Marcal Paper Company in Elmwood Park.
