January 20, 2021 Updated at 10:50 am January 20, 2021
MidJersey.News update here: UPDATE: Cranbury Amazon Warehouse Fire Under Investigation
CRANBURY TOWNSHIP, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Around 11:30 pm a fire broke out inside the Amazon Warehouse TEB6 located at 22 Hightstown-Cranbury Station Road. Firefighters arrived and found a heavy smoke condition pushing from the south-west side of the warehouse. Employees were outside and evacuated to the parking lot covered in space type blankets to keep warm. Firefighters put two lines in operation and the fire was reported “extinguished” at 12:27 am. Two or three aerial units laddered the building to open sky lights and any possible vents in the roof to remove smoke. There was extensive overhaul of the fire and units were still being called to the scene at 2:00 am.
The warehouse by Google Maps satellite measurement is approximately 560 feet wide by 1,765 feet for an estimated 988,400 square feet in size. Photos from prior events at the warehouse posted online show that the building has “rack storage” inside and storage like that is usually protect by ESFR sprinklers (Early Suppression Fast Response sprinklers). If a rack storage would catch fire the ESFR sprinkler system would activate sending thousands of gallons per minute onto the fire, the fire would be extinguished or held in check until firefighters could arrive to finish extinguishing the fire.
The partial list of fire departments dispatched and/or involved so far are and fire is quite possibly a 2 or 3 alarms in size equivalent: Cranbury Fire Company, Hightstown Fire Company, East Windsor # 1 and # 2, Robbinsville Township Fire Department, West Windsor Fire Company, Princeton Junction Fire Company, Plainsboro Fire Department, Monroe Township Fire Department, South Brunswick-Monmouth Junction and Kendall Park, Jamesburg Fire Company, North Brunswick and East Brunswick. More departments were still being added as of 2:18 am. for covers. Hamilton Township Fire Department was added at 2:39 am for a cover. (This list included fire departments dispatched that may not have made it to the scene for man power or were diverted to cover other firehouses in the area)
Two ambulances stood by during the firefight but there were not known reports of injuries to firefighters or workers at the facility.
Jenna Hilzenrath, Amazon Spokesperson said in a statement ““We can confirm that there was a fire at our fulfillment center in Cranbury, New Jersey last night. There’s nothing more important than the health and safety of our employees and we’re grateful that all our employees are safe and accounted for. We thank our local fire department for their quick response.”
Amazon also said that employees waited at a designated evacuation point before being sent home with pay. We’ll continue to work with the local Fire Department to ensure that the building is safe before reopening later today.
