On May 8 at 4:54 a.m., a kitchen fire broke out in the cafeteria at Pascack Valley High School. The Hillsdale Fire Department, along with assistance from neighboring towns, swiftly arrived on the scene.
The fire was contained after just over 30 minutes, and there were no injuries.
The Hillsdale Fire Department released the following statement to the public on Thursday morning:
“This morning, at 0454 hours, the Hillsdale Fire Department was dispatched to an activated fire alarm at 200 Piermont Ave, Pascack Valley High School. 27 Car 1 (Chief Farrell) arrived shortly after, establishing command, and releasing his Knox key to gain access to the building. Once Chief Farrell made entry, he was met with a heavy smoke condition, and after a brief investigation, it was determined to be coming from the cafeteria area.
“A box alarm was requested, bringing an Engine from River Vale and a Ladder from Westwood. 27 Engine 1 arrived on scene and immediately began stretching a handline and sent their crew in to locate the fire. Chief Farrell then requested his working fire assignment, bringing a Squad from Woodcliff Lake, a Squad from Old Tappan for RIT, and a Ladder from Township of Washington.
“At the 32 minute mark, the fire was deemed under control after a report from Operations (DC Kelley). The origin was determined to be a refrigeration unit in the kitchen with extension to the duct work above. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the borough’s Fire Marshal.”
Despite no injuries during the incident, there was damage to the cafeteria due to the fire, the smoke, and the water used to extinguish the fire.
Pascack Valley was closed for all students and teachers on Thursday. Students and staff were notified shortly before 7 a.m.
That day, the school was inspected by the Northwest Bergen Board of Health, the local fire inspector, and district facilities personnel. Servpro began the restoration process, and the school was cleared for re-opening on Friday.
The cafeteria was closed on Friday but reopened for lunch and Pascack Period on Monday.
“On Monday… the cafeteria will not have ceiling tiles. All the ceiling tiles in the lower and upper cafeteria had to be ripped out, and they have to be replaced,” PV Principal John Puccio said.
Along with the tiles, items such as cutting boards, cooking supplies, and materials from the preschool classroom—which is located in a classroom that is attached to the cafeteria— had to be discarded due to potential smoke and debris contamination.
“What happens is all that debris and smoke gets absorbed into those things, so although you’re not seeing a crazy, raging fire, some items absorb all those particles. That’s a health concern,” Puccio said.
Puccio reiterated that although the fire wasn’t a huge blaze, the debris can be damaging, and it is important to make sure the cafeteria is clean before it is operational again.
Pomptonian, the school’s food provider, will serve a modified menu until the kitchen is available for use. On Monday, pizza, deli sandwiches, salads, snacks, and beverages were served.
The school will assess each day at a time. Puccio says this is a unique situation, and he wants to make sure it is done safely.
“I’ve never experienced a fire in my house or anything like that personally, so it was a learning experience,” Puccio said. “We’re prepared for emergency situations, but you’re not prepared for every single situation in detail.”
Another concern is the school’s schedule surrounding Memorial Day Weekend. Each school year has two built-in emergency days surrounding the holiday weekend. As one snow day was used in February, the school needs to assess the schedule moving forward. They are currently going through the decision-making process.
Despite never experiencing a fire in the school, Puccio is glad that the school is up and running already.
“We know that it was a surprise for everyone, and we appreciate the flexibility between parents and students,” Puccio said.
