New Jersey

Explosion Releases Vapor Cloud at Fire-Damaged NJ Pool Chemical Company

The fire broke out at a plant on Jacobus Avenue in Kearny around 10 p.m. on Friday, officials said

What to Know

  • An explosion released a vapor cloud at a fire-damaged pool chemical company in New Jersey
  • A fire broke out at the Alden Leeds chlorine plant in Kearny on Friday
  • The Pulaski Skyway was shut down in both directions due to the smoke on Friday and Saturday

An explosion on Sunday released a vapor cloud at a pool chemical company in New Jersey that was damaged in a serious fire days earlier, officials said. 

The explosion at the Alden Leeds chlorine plant on Jacobus Avenue in Kearny sent a vapor cloud into the air on Sunday afternoon, the Kearny Fire Department said. 

A dispatcher said they believed they had the situation under control. A hazmat unit and two fire boats were on the scene. 

On Friday night, a fire at the same chlorine plant shut down the Pulaski Skyway in both directions until Saturday afternoon. 

The outbound covered roadway of the Holland Tunnel was also temporarily closed as a result of the smoke.

The smoke could be seen as far away as Bay Ridge and other areas of Brooklyn.

It wasn't immediately clear what sparked the blaze.

The Bayonne Office of Emergency Management advised resident to keep their windows closed due to concerns about the fumes spilling out of the plant. 

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