A devastating four-alarm fire engulfed and destroyed the building housing Chabad of South Bergen County early Friday morning, reducing the historic Montross Avenue shul to rubble.

Flames broke out around 2:45 a.m., tearing through the three-story structure.  Firefighters arriving at the scene were immediately met with intense flames and downed live wires, which hampered their ability to contain the blaze. Within an hour, the entire structure collapsed.

Chief John R. Russo of the Rutherford Police Department confirmed that the building was occupied at the time by the shul’s rabbi and his family—six people in total—who miraculously escaped unharmed.

“Luckily the rabbi and his family, six members total were the only members in the structure, they were able to get out, but the structure is a complete loss,” Russo said.

Several nearby buildings were also affected by the fire, and although no serious injuries have been reported, some firefighters were treated at the scene for minor issues.

The building, which housed both Congregation Beth El and Chabad of South Bergen County and The Meadowlands, had been a spiritual home to area Jews for generations. The kehillah dates back to 1919 and has been at its Montross Avenue location since 1953.

In January 2012, the same building was targeted in a hate-fueled attack, when a 19-year-old from Lodi firebombed the rabbi’s second-floor bedroom with Molotov cocktails. The assailant was later arrested and charged in connection with that incident as well as a separate attack on a Paramus synagogue.

Authorities have opened an investigation into the cause of Friday’s blaze, though both local officials and law enforcement said there is no indication at this time that the fire was suspicious or related to the previous attack.

“It’s a very old home. It’s wood,” said Rutherford Mayor Frank Nunziato. “This is just a very old home that may just have burned down.”

A campaign has been launched to help the Chabad rebuild. To donate, visit JewishRutherford.org

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