A four-alarm fire engulfed Congregation Beth El in Rutherford, New Jersey early Friday morning. Firefighters encountered a fully ablaze structure upon arrival, leading to part of the building's collapse. Responders from surrounding towns worked to control the flames, but the synagogue was deemed a total loss within an hour. The rabbi and his family escaped the inferno without injury. The cause of the fire is currently unknown, and the synagogue has served the community for over a century, previously having been targeted in a firebombing incident in 2012.
When firefighters arrived, the building was already engulfed in flames, and parts of the building had started to collapse.
The structure was a total loss within an hour, said Rutherford Police Chief John R. Russo.
Neighbor Frank Wilson told PIX11 News he was awakened by the chaos and saw the rabbi's family fleeing the blaze.
The synagogue has been an integral part of the community for more than 100 years.
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