The three-alarm fire that destroyed the historic Poile Zedek synagogue Friday afternoon "appears accidental," said authorities in a released statement. Watch video
NEW BRUNSWICK -- The three-alarm fire that gutted the historic Poile Zedek synagogue Friday afternoon "appears accidental," said authorities in a released statement.
In a joint statement, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey, New Brunswick police chief Anthony Caputo and county fire marshal Michael Gallagher announced that an investigation into the specific cause of the fire remains active.
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In a preliminary finding, authorities determined that the fire originated on the first floor of the Neilson Street building, the announcement said. No other details of the fire were immediately made available.
Authorities said the blaze was first reported around 4:20 p.m., and continued to burn more than an hour later. Several local roads in the area were closed as smoke, visible for miles, rose from the site. Homes nearby were also evacuated.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene of the blaze on October 23, 2015 at 4:19 p.m. and arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the synagogue. The blaze was under control by 8 p.m., but damage to the building was severe and extensive.
Robert Dorfman, the executive director of the congregation, told NJ Advance Media Friday that a caretaker was alone at the synagogue when fire broke out and that he immediately called the fire department.
A city spokeswoman, Jennifer Bradshaw, said when firefighters arrived they saw smoke rising from a number of spots before flames began to shoot through the roof. The cause of the fire was still under investigation Friday night, Bradshaw also said. Companies from several communities, including Edison, Franklin, East Brunswick and Sayreville, assisted.
Rabbi Abraham Mykoff, who was also at the scene, said he had been preparing for Friday services when he learned of the fire. Mykoff also said that one of the synagogue's Torah scrolls may have been saved, but he did not know whether the sacred document had been damaged.
Dorfman, whose wife's family were part of the original congregation, said the building, located in the city's historic district, was dedicated in 1923. The synagogue has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995, according to the congregation's website.
Attempts to reach Dorfman for comment on Saturday were unsuccessful.
Staff reporter Sue Epstein contributed to this report.
Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.