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Fire at strip mall in Fair Lawn heavily damages businesses

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Fire at strip mall in Fair Lawn heavily damages businesses

FAIR LAWN − An overnight fire at a strip mall left several popular businesses destroyed Friday and neighbors saddened for the owners who are no strangers to adversity.

Among the businesses at the Fair Lawn Avenue strip mall were Zadies Kosher Bake Shop, Green Dragon restaurant, Fair Lawn Roadhouse, Flynn’s Barbershop, Dream on Lash Salon and Regency Cleaners. On Friday morning, the roofs were blackened and cratered at Green Dragon and damaged throughout the connected businesses.

“We’re going to rebuild and get better,” said Zadies owner Anna Steinberg. “I feel bad for my customers who had orders.”

No one was injured in the fire that started at about 2:30 a.m., said Doug Sadowski, public information officer for the Fair Lawn Fire Department. Fridays are busy for the kosher bakery, so employees were working overnight to fill orders, Steinberg said, but all made it out safely.

Earlier this month, Zadies noted how July is a snake-bitten month for the bake shop as it was five years since a car drove through the store.

“The community has been very supportive,” Steinberg said.

A car also hit Green Dragon in February 2023.

Green Dragon has also been in town for about 10 years. The fire appeared to start there but the exact cause is still under investigation. It took about one hour to get the fire under control with help from neighboring departments including Paterson, Glen Rock, Elmwood Park, Paramus and Saddle Brook, Sadowski said.

Neighbors were quick to praise the kindness and compassion of the businesses. Fair Lawn resident Vicky Blum shared plenty of praise to Zadies, Green Dragon and Regency Cleaners as she knows them all well.

“These people are the best,” Blum said. “[They’re] caring. We go all the time … they know your name.

“My heart breaks.”

Fair Lawn Mayor Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich said she was devastated to hear about the fire.

“The Fair Lawn Borough and community are ready to support the businesses in any way necessary,” she posted to social media.

The fire came to a shock to the employees at the businesses. Samantha Rose and Saul Cantor, both Zadies employees for about 10 years, described either being there at 3 a.m. for Rose or hearing about it early in the morning for Cantor. Rose described the fire coming through the roof and heavy smoke at Green Dragon before it made its way to Zadies.

Rose, the manager, described how Zadies is heavily involved in not only the Jewish community but beyond for their work in the schools and variety of custom and gluten-free options.

“Zadies is a staple,” she said.

Amnon Shalom knows the Zadies staff well and lamented the fire happening at such a busy time for the bakery. He also praised the staff for their dedication.

“Thank God nobody got hurt,” he said. “It’s just material.”

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