Air quality appears normal after large warehouse fire

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection says it appears the air quality surrounding a major warehouse fire in North Brunswick appears to be safe.
NJ DEP Emergency Management Director Bob Van Fossen says that the department has been running tests on the air both on- and off-site since the fire started Wednesday morning. He says the tests are consistent with a normal structure fire and do not currently present a danger to the public.
The fire broke out early Wednesday morning on Livingston Avenue. The large building housed several businesses, including a plastics company. It was the burning plastic that concerned many.
The air quality concern caused the evacuation of dozens of residents from a nearby apartment complex. Those residents will not be allowed back home until at least Thursday, due to the smoke conditions.
Van Fossen says Wednesday's windy conditions helped disperse the smoke and chemicals in the air. After taking a helicopter tour of the area, Van Fossen believes a lot of the smoke was blown out to sea.
The NJ DEP and Environmental Protection Agency will continue to monitor the air quality, as well as water samples, to make sure no chemicals from the fire have contaminated the environment.