2 firefighters hurt battling Pepsi warehouse blaze in Piscataway
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Two firefighters are hurt after a massive fire at a Pepsi warehouse in Piscataway, New Jersey.
At one point, the blaze was so big, several people in the neighborhood said they heard loud explosions.
As CBS2's Elijah Westbrook reported, firefighters worked throughout the night to put out hotspots.
One was treated at the hospital for heat exhaustion, and the other for a shoulder injury.
However, all 30 employees who worked at the regional plant managed to escape without injury.
Chopper 2 was overhead as more than 100 firefighters worked to put out the flames.
Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler said he raced to the plant after hearing explosions not far from his home.
"I live approximately five minutes away, I heard the explosions," he told CBS2.
The loud noise had neighbors pulling out their cellphones to capture the raging fire that exploded around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
"Initially, when the fire came in, it was under the exterior portion, and then led inside the building, on the outside roof, and now it's up under the roof, and that's what they're attempting to pour additional water," Wahler said.
Pepsi released the following statement --
"On Tuesday evening, a fire started outside of the Pepsi plant and warehouse in Piscataway, NJ. Details of how the fire started will be investigated. First responders are on-site working to ensure the fire is controlled and quickly put out. All employees and people who were in the facility have been evacuated with no injuries."
The warehouse provides products for multiple states.
"This is a very big plant. This is a regional bottling plant for Pepsi. This takes care of all the Tri-State region," said Wahler. "If you drink Mountain Dew, this is right here."
The mayor said crews managed to get the fire under control around 11:30 p.m.
