Photograph by lowerwestside on Flickr

A four-alarm fire ripped through several Union City, NJ buildings yesterday morning at 11 a.m. One resident said, "People were all over the streets. The black smoke was hitting all the buildings. Tires were popping, tanks exploded, and the gas lines went." And Jersey City Assistant Fire Director Armando Roman said, “When I got there, the three story wood-frame building was almost demolished. Fully involved, fully involved. I haven’t seen a fire like that in a while. It just completely destroyed the building.”

One person whose Toyota Camry was destroyed told the Post, "I watched as the third floor collapsed on my car. I just sat there thinking, ‘Oh, my God.’ Thank God I'm insured." The fire was under control by 1:30 p.m. and fire officials are still trying to determine the cause of the blaze. Some firefighters suffered minor injuries and 50 residents are homeless.

The thick, black smoke could even be seen from New York City, prompting the NYC Office of Emergency Management to tell residents, "Due to a large fire in Union City, New Jersey, Manhattan residents may see or smell smoke in the area."