4-Alarm Fire Destroys Historic Synagogue in Rutherford, New Jersey

Devastating Fire Engulfs Historic Synagogue

• 🔥 A 4-alarm fire tore through a beloved synagogue in Rutherford, New Jersey, a house of worship that had served the Jewish community for over 100 years.
• 🚒 Fire officials reported dozens of personnel working to extinguish the blaze, battling hot spot areas from multiple angles with overhead ladders.
• 💥 The building, which housed Congregation Beth El and Shabbat of South Bergen County, appeared to collapse within an hour of the fire starting.

Scene and Aftermath

• 🏚️ Eyewitness News reporter Phil Tate described the scene as devastating, with much of the rubble left behind, including wood planks scattered on the grass.
• ⚠️ Firefighters were initially met with heavy flames and live wires down in front of the structure after the fire began just before 3:00 a.m.
• ❓ The cause of the fire remains unclear, and it is still unknown if there were any injuries or if anyone was inside the house of worship at the time.
• 😔 Neighbors expressed disbelief and sorrow over the destruction of a long-standing community structure.