Customers turned away from Lakewood UPS facility following fire
The facility is located on Vassar Road in Lakewood. Customers are not allowed through the front gate.
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A UPS customer center is shut down following a fire at the facility on Wednesday.
The facility is located on Vassar Road in Lakewood. Customers are not allowed through the front gate. A guard has been out front turning people away.
It seems that the facility is still somewhat operational. UPS trucks were seen leaving the facility. It was not clear if they were out making deliveries or taking packages to another customer center.
The facility is not just a warehouse. It is also a site where customers can come to pick up their packages. Those showing up have been turned away once they reach the front entrance.
Officials say that the fire started around 7 p.m. Wednesday inside the building. The fire then spread and damaged as many as six trucks. Some media reports have stated that the fire was started by a lithium battery inside a package. News 12 New Jersey is working to confirm this.
Customers are being warned that they will likely see delays in getting packages delivered.
A spokesperson for UPS wrote in a statement, “We are working with authorities. Our employees are safe and will return to work as soon as we are confident they can safely resume their activities.”
The statement continued, “An investigation is underway and we have temporarily suspended operations at the facility. Customers with questions about their packages can call 1-800-PICK-UPS.”
The fire comes as employees with UPS consider going on strike if they do not get a new contract. The current contract ends on July 31.
The Teamsters Union walked away from negotiations on Wednesday. Some of their 340,000 members are from New Jersey.
