BOUND BROOK - At approximately 7:15 p.m. Sunday evening, a smoke condition was reported at the Carriage Park apartments behind Shop Rite. Moments later a fire official reported the smoke was black and the structure had a working fire.
Three other fire departments' fast teams were requested and ladders responded to contain the blaze. Other local departments then dispatched to assist.
Police and Bound Brook Emergency Management officials were called onto the scene to keep traffic on Tea St. to emergency vehicles only and to control the crowd which was slowly increasing around the area.
The fire appeared to start on the fourth floor of the building and eventually spread throughout the that floor. It then moved up to the fifth, eventually causing the roof to collapse. Flames nearly 40 feet high were bursting from the roof as multiple ladders attempted to contain the fire. Embers from burning building materials became airborne and flew with the smoke in the westward winds.
All fire companies were finally cleared out around 1:00 a.m. on Monday morning. The building has been reported as a total loss.
Update: Video is available at this link.