4 Construction Workers Rescued As Synagogue Expansion Project Burns

NEW SQUARE, NY — A construction project that will complete one of the largest synagogues in the world was the scene of a dramatic rescue.

The Hillcrest Fire Company No. 1 responded to Jefferson Ave. on Friday, at 10:36 a.m., where firefighters found heavy black smoke coming from the basement of a synagogue.

According to CBS 2 New York, four workers were trapped on the roof of the New Square Synagogue's expansion after the fire started in the laundry room. A few were taken to area hospitals for observation but are expected to be okay.

"It was very labor-intensive to pull apart the towels that were downstairs in this laundry room where the fire was smoldering underneath, so it took a lot of manpower," Hillcrest Fire Company Captain Orin Ben-Jacob told CBS 2.

According to Building Studio Architect and McGowan Builders, the expansion project will make the New Square synagogue the largest in the U.S., and the second largest synagogue in the world.

The first units on the scene worked on water supply and stretching fire attack hand-lines into the basement.

The Hillcrest Fire Company says that the basement was constructed out of concrete with minimal openings which made fighting the fire difficult due to there being nowhere for the heat or smoke to escape.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Rockland County Sheriff Department’s BCI Unit.

The Hillcrest Fire Company was assisted on the scene by the New City, Thiells, West Nyack, West
Haverstraw, Nanuet, Monsey, Orangeburg and Suffern Fire Departments. EMS crews from Spring-Hill and Hatzalah as well as New Square Emergency Services and the Ramapo Police Department also provided assistance on the scene.

The Hillcrest Fire Company also thanked the Spring Valley and Stony Point Fire Departments who provided coverage while all units operated at the structure fire.