By: Richard L. Smith
A ferocious, gas-fed fire tore through a row of businesses in Union County Tuesday evening, gutting multiple storefronts and injuring at least two firefighters and displacing about 31 residents, officials said.
According to preliminary information, the blaze erupted just before 6:45 p.m. inside an auto body repair shop located in the 1500 block of Maple Avenue.
When Hillside firefighters arrived, they were met with heavy flames spreading rapidly through the building.
Officials quickly struck a second and third alarm as the fire extended to neighboring businesses, including a small supermarket, a hair salon, and several other stores. 
Explosions were heard in the area as the blaze intensified, prompting a MAYDAY alert for firefighters operating inside any of the structures.
Mutual aid units from surrounding towns rushed to the scene as the fire escalated to five alarms.
Crews mounted a “surround and drown” operation to contain the inferno, which destroyed or heavily damaged at least six businesses.
Two firefighters were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Fire officials declared the blaze under control just before midnight.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by local and county authorities.