Elizabeth, NJ – Body Believed to Be Missing Worker Recovered After Waste Facility Fire

Elizabeth, NJ (May 11, 2022) – An enormous five-alarm fire broke out at a waste management facility in Elizabeth on Tuesday, May 10th. 

A body that recovered on Wednesday after the fire was mostly contained is believed to be that of a 70-year-old worker who was unaccounted for once the facility was evacuated. The medical examiner was on the scene but the victim’s name has not yet been released.

One woman said she received word on Tuesday that her father, a long-time employee and hard-working family man who was retiring soon, was missing. She is currently waiting on final confirmation.  

Witnesses reported seeing thick, black smoke billowing from the Waste Management Julia Street Transfer Station in the 800th block of Julia Street at about 2:00 p.m. 

Officials believe the fire might have been caused by equipment inside the building. The several tons of debris that burned for the better part of a day notwithstanding, the private waste transport company said it does not handle hazardous materials.

Due to strong winds, smoke from the fire spread into the neighboring community forcing residents of nearby houses to evacuate. They were allowed back into their home at about 7:00 a.m. the following day as fire crews were still streaming water inside the facility, which is a total loss. Concerns about air quality were also raised. 

The stretch of Julia Street between Route 1 and Division Street was closed down.

The nearby Newark Liberty International Airport was not impacted thanks to favorable winds pushing the smoke away from the area.

The fire was eventually contained, but crews were battling hotspots for the rest of the night.

A disaster action team from Red Cross New Jersey was also on the scene.

We would like to offer our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased victim at this time.

Workplace Accident Liability in New Jersey

The hundreds of workers that sustain job site injuries in New Jersey are usually covered by their workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ comp benefits are sufficient for covering medical care and a percentage of your lost wages but are often inadequate when it comes to covering the total cost of your damages, especially in cases involving permanent injury or wrongful death.

Parties who could be held responsible for workplace injuries generally include the owner of the hazardous building, or property on which the accident took place, or the designer or manufacturer of a dangerous or defective piece of machinery or equipment that caused the injury. Additional negligent parties may include subcontractors or independent contractors working on the job site.

In most situations, a typical employee is unable to sue their employer for a job site injury. There are, however, some cases where an injured worker could be entitled to file a personal injury suit to recover financial compensation for their workplace injuries and other damages.

Our personal injury attorneys at Metro Law have more than four decades of experience helping thousands of families obtain the justice and financial compensation they deserve for the losses they sustain due to workplace negligence. Contact our job site injury lawyers in New Jersey at (800) 460-6476 to see how we can help you.

Notes: Outside sources were used in the creation of this post including news bulletins and first-hand accounts of the accident and injuries involved. As a result, the details of the accident presented have not been independently verified. If you have identified any false information in the story or would like the post to be removed, please inform us immediately, and we will correct the information or remove the post. 

Disclaimer: As a member of the local community, we at Metro Law strive to improve the overall safety and quality of life for everyone who lives in our beloved state. We are extremely saddened by these accidents but hope that through an awareness of these dangers, those in our community will take precautions to avoid these accidents. This is not a solicitation for business, and this information should not be misconstrued as medical or legal advice. We wish only the best and quickest recovery to all those involved in the accident. The photos depicted in this post are not from the actual accident scene.