Shliach and Family Safe After Chabad House Burns To The Ground

by CrownHeights.info

A massive, fast-moving fire gutted Chabad of South Bergen County and The Meadowlands in the early hours of Friday morning, devastating the building but thankfully sparing the Shliach and his family.

The fire broke out around 2:45am Friday morning at 185 Montross Ave. in Rutherford, quickly spreading to a four-alarm blaze that spread smoke and flaming embers across a vast area.

Three buildings were damaged or destroyed in the blaze, including the shul, which also housed the Shliach’s family.

“Luckily the rabbi and his family, six members total were the only members in the structure, they were able to get out, but the structure is a complete loss,” said Chief John R. Russo of the Rutherford Police Department.

The shluchim, Rabbi Yitzchak and Bina Lehrman, managed to escape the flames with their family just seconds ahead of disaster, miraculously saved from tragedy.

Firefighter arrived at the scene to find the fire already engulfing the building, with firefighters hampered by downed wire in front of the building.

The building eventually collapsed