Fire damages building at Space Farms

By Nathan Mayberg
WANTAGE — Fire departments from across Sussex County responded Wednesday night to a fire believed to have begun in a refrigeration cooling room of a building across the street from Space Farms Zoo and Museum in Wantage.

Fire departments battled the fire all night, which was not believed to be suspicious, Sussex County Fire Marshal Joe Inga said.

The fire, at 215 County Route 519, was fully extinguished at 5 a.m., after a freezing night.

The refrigeration cooling room is where the food is kept to feed animals across the street at Space Farms, which is owned by Assemblyman Parker Space and his family.

The fire gutted the upper half of the building, Space said. Approximately 35,000 pounds of feed was lost, he said.

The food was used to feed about 500 animals across the street.

The fire caused smoke and heat damage to one apartment in the building, resulting in two people in that apartment having to be relocated.

Space said the two are staying with his family for now.

Space said he is awaiting word from his insurance adjustor as to whether the building is salvagable.

A contractor had been working in the refrigeration room recently, Space said.

Wantage Fire Department Chief Jon Morris said the fire was situated in a large freezer, which was surrounded by layers of insulation.

"It was very difficult to put out with all of the little hot spots," Morris said.

On Thursday, Space said he was thankful "nobody got hurt."

Responding on the scene to the fire were departments from Wantage, Sussex, Hardison, Branchville, Frankford, Sandyston, Montague, Hampton, Lafayette and Andover. The Wantage First Aid Squad and Sussex County Fire Coordinator's Office also responded.