Four Firefighters Hospitalized Following Restaurant Fire

A fire Friday morning closed down a section of Broad Street and sent four firefighters to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Newark Fire Department spokesman Capt. John Brown said.

The fire broke out at Crown Fried Chicken, 583-585 Broad St., around 9:43 am. The fire was reported by an employee of the restaurant.

The two-alarm blaze caused severe damage to both floors of the two-story building. It was brought under control around 10:26 am, although firefighters were still on scene an hour later.

A few blocks of Broad Street north of Raymond Boulevard were closed due to the blaze.

Five firefighters were hit by debris when a ceiling collapsed inside the business, Brown also said.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation Friday.