Editor’s note: After press time, a Palisades Interstate Parkway Police spokesperson issued a statement on this fire incident, which has been added at the end of this story.
ALPINE, N.J.—A four-alarm fire that tore through the Palisades Interstate Park Commission headquarters in Alpine on New Year’s Day caused extensive damage and drew fire companies from a dozen northern Bergen County towns to the scene.
Although it was declared under control about an hour after breaking out close to noon on Jan. 1, the four-alarm blaze destroyed the century-old building, believed to have been built in the 1920s.
According to reports, the blaze went to four alarms due to water-pressure problems and gutted the structure, which also serves as a venue for park programs. It apparently broke out in the police chief’s office.
Palisades Interstate Park Commissioner Sophie Heymann told Northern Valley Press that the fire was at the northern end of the building, apparently from an electric short circuit in the chief’s office, according to county arson investigators, she said.
She said they determined there was no foul play, but due to the holiday, she said the fire was not immediately reported. She said she was not aware of any sprinkler or fire-suppression system in the building.
“The turnout was fantastic by fire departments from the area,” she said, noting the quick response of multiple area departments.
She said the interior of the older section—including the police chief office and Palisades Interstate Park Commission board room—will have to be completely renovated due to fire damage.
The building also houses commission offices and the park’s court.
“All the historic records in the building are lost forever—the chief’s records and the records are gone,” said Heymann in a TV interview about the fire.
She said the county offered a mobile dispatch unit for handling emergency and service calls.
Fire departments from Closter, Norwood, Northvale, Demarest, Tenafly, Alpine, Fort Lee, Ridgefield, Upper Saddle River, Saddle River, and Sparkill (N.Y.) assisted at the scene.
In addition, the county Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad was investigating the fire, along with the state fire marshal and state Division of Fire Safety, noted media reports.
Park Commission Executive Director Joshua Laird said no part of the historic building was damaged by the fire, but an addition housing the police headquarters was destroyed.
He confirmed the building lacked a fire suppression system and that police dispatchers smelled the fire and attempted to extinguish it. However, he said, they quickly called in firefighters.
Laird said there would be no effects on park programs or police operations and thanked the county Prosecutor’s Office and nearby police dispatch and municipal courts for offering assistance.
Previous problems
In July 2019, following much upheaval and negative publicity related to a Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office July 2018 report on department misconduct, improprieties and unlawful high-speed chases, a new parkway police chief, Steven Shallop, was appointed at the embattled agency.
He took over following the resignation of former chief Michael Coppola, who was arrested in a sting trying to purchase cocaine.
Prior to his arrest, he had been suspended after the Prosecutor’s Office report that detailed widespread department misconduct.
Initially, the period of turmoil began for the interstate parkway police in November 2017 following an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office after the deaths of two suspects being chased by police.
The BCPO appointed a monitor to retrain officers on attorney general guidelines on when to pursue a suspect during a motor-vehicle pursuit, as well as how and when to conduct a vehicle search.
Following the BCPO’s scathing 2018 report, state Assemblyman Gordon Johnson—a longtime critic—called for the department to be under the New Jersey Attorney General Office or New Jersey State Police instead of the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Statement from Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department:
On Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020, at about 11:45 a.m., a fire was detected in the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department (PIPPD) Headquarters. This facility is located within a historic building along the New Jersey Palisades in Alpine, N.J.
The fire originated in the office of the Chief of Police. Officers made entry into the office and attempted to extinguish the flames utilizing fire extinguishers. Their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, and they were forced to evacuate the station due to heat and smoke.
PIPPD Officers checked the building for occupants before evacuating. Three officers, a civilian dispatcher and a civilian park patron were then safely evacuated using designated fire exits.
The PIPPD dispatcher contacted the Bergen County Public Safety Operations Center (PSOC) and requested a Fire Department response. Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services from surrounding towns in Bergen and Rockland county were requested to assist.
Fire crews made entry into the building and were able to bring the fire under control at about 1:20 PM. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, State Police OEM, Bergen County OEM, and State Fire Marshall’s Office responded.
Following an inspection of the scene, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office determined that the fire was caused by an unidentified electrical problem within the Chief’s Office.
The origin of the fire is not considered to be suspicious. The Palisades Interstate Parkway Police continues to provide full police and emergency response services.
The Bergen County Prosecutors Office and the Bergen County PSOC provided mobile command trucks that provide temporary office space, radio, phone and internet access.
At this time a full damage assessment is still being conducted. There is significant fire, smoke and heat damage within the PIPPD area and adjacent areas of the building.
Approximately one third of the building sustained damage and will require renovation.
Palisades Interstate Park Administration, Operations, and the Palisades Interstate Park Municipal Court offices remain closed until the building is determined to be safe for occupation.
Plans are being made to resume court functions at a temporary location that will be announced in the coming days.
—Lt. Jock Watkins, Jr., Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department