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Photos: Raging Fire Races Through Cliffside Park Stores

CLIFFSIDE PARK, N.J. -- A building that held three stores gutted by a roaring fire Tuesday night in downtown Cliffside Park was razed Wednesday.

County Discount, like A.J.'s Pharmacy, was gutted.

County Discount, like A.J.'s Pharmacy, was gutted.

Photo Credit: Charles Stark for DAILY VOICE
Pharmacy, clothing shop, discount store demolished.

Pharmacy, clothing shop, discount store demolished.

Photo Credit: Alex Sudol for DAILY VOICE
Within two hours, the fire had spread to several stores.

Within two hours, the fire had spread to several stores.

Photo Credit: Alex Sudol for DAILY VOICE
The fire blew through the roof of A.J.'s Pharmacy, responders said.

The fire blew through the roof of A.J.'s Pharmacy, responders said.

Photo Credit: Nancy Esposito via Nancy Ballas Gener

CLICK for the video.

Photo Credit: Alex Sudol for DAILY VOICE
The fire broke out just before 7:30 p.m.

The fire broke out just before 7:30 p.m.

Photo Credit: Charles Stark for DAILY VOICE
The blaze raged.

The blaze raged.

Photo Credit: Nic Pannacciulli
A.J.'s Pharmacy, where responders said the fire began.

A.J.'s Pharmacy, where responders said the fire began.

Photo Credit: Charles Stark for DAILY VOICE
Flames blew through the pharmacy roof.

Flames blew through the pharmacy roof.

Photo Credit: Alex Sudol for DAILY VOICE
Firefighters douse an alleyway to keep blaze from spreading to F&D Frame Shop.

Firefighters douse an alleyway to keep blaze from spreading to F&D Frame Shop.

Photo Credit: Alex Sudol for DAILY VOICE
Firefighters battled to keep flames from spreading.

Firefighters battled to keep flames from spreading.

Photo Credit: Lindsey Campbell for DAILY VOICE
At the scene.

At the scene.

Photo Credit: Jodi Bachiman for DAILY VOICE
Flames consume County Discount.

Flames consume County Discount.

Photo Credit: Charles Stark for DAILY VOICE
Firefighters were evacuated.

Firefighters were evacuated.

Photo Credit: Nic Pannacciulli
At the scene.

At the scene.

Photo Credit: Jodi Bachiman for DAILY VOICE
Minutes after the call came in.

Minutes after the call came in.

Photo Credit: Lindsey Campbell for DAILY VOICE

Five firefighters sustained minor injuries -- four smoke-related and one with a twisted knee -- in the four-alarm blaze, borough spokesman Bill Maer told Daily Voice early Wednesday.

The cause of the fire was being probed by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Arson Investigation Unit, he said.

The fire broke out around 7:30 p.m. at A.J.'s Pharmacy on Anderson Avenue, which shares a building with a Brazilian clothing store and County Discount, one of the strip's oldest establishments.

Firefighters were quickly pulled out and began attacking from the front and from Lawton Avenue in the rear, as the fire spread.

At one point, no fewer than a half-dozen ladder hoses poured water on the blaze.

Spared from serious harm were F&D Frame Co. immediately to the south and a nail salon immediately to the north, Maer said. They were among three businesses that sustained minor damage, he said.

Anderson Avenue between Columbia and Lafayette avenues remained closed indefinitely, he said.

Borough firefighters were assisted by their colleagues from Fairview, Fort Lee, Ridgefield, Palisades Park, Hackensack, Edgewater, Englewood Cliffs. Bogota, Ridgefield Park and Englewood, he said.

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