YOU SAW IT HERE FIRST: Power was restored just after 4 o’clock this afternoon to the Fashion Center in Paramus after being knocked out late last night by a fire in a rooftop transformer .
The fire on the roof of the Best Buy just before 11 p.m. cleared a packed Applebee’s restaurant, as well as the nighttime stock crew of Fairway Market off northbound Route 17. All other businesses in the complex were closed at the time.
Paramus police, firefighters, Heavy Rescue and EMS personnel all responded, as did a crew from PSE&G.
Paramus police secured all entrances to the shopping complex while emergency crews doused the flames.
Borough health officials were notified due to the extended loss of power anticipated at Applebee’s. Dozens of restaurant patrons waited in their vehicles in the parking lot hoping it would reopen. Police eventually told them it wouldn’t — at least not last night.
They were back in business today.
NOTE: Officials corrected a previous story of this story, which incorrectly said the transformer exploded.
STORY / PHOTOS: Boyd A. Loving