On May 8, 2025, Pascack Valley High School was closed for the day due to an unexpected early morning fire. Authorities discovered that the fire had started in the kitchen area, spreading smoke rapidly all throughout the school. Students and faculty were unable to enter the building because of the smoke, leading the Hillsdale Fire Chief William Farrell to cancel school for the rest of the day.
According to The Bergen Record, the flames began at 4:54 a.m., originating from the refrigeration unit as well as the ducts above it, activating the fire alarm. As the firefighters entered the building, they were met with thick, black smoke. The fire was contained in the cafeteria and ducts after 32 minutes. According to The Press Group, throughout the duration of the fire, many local fire departments responded to the scene, including the Hillsdale, River Vale, and Westwood Fire Departments.
According to The Press Group,the fire abruptly postponed AP tests due to safety issues and concerns. AP testing is known to be one of the most rigorous and intense times in the whole school year, comprising a variety of tests in various subjects taken nationwide for high school students who have enrolled in college-level courses in hope to get that certain college credit.
Some students were dismayed by the fire interrupting such a crucial week in their school year.
“There was a fire in the school cafeteria Thursday morning, which ended up messing with the rest of the week,” Pascack Valley sophomore Brady Bab (’27) said. “We got Thursday off while they did safety checks, which at first felt like a bonus day off. But when we came back on Friday, the café was still closed, so we had to eat lunch in classrooms or wherever there was space. It threw off the whole rest of the week. On Monday we used our Thursday schedule. Even though the fire wasn’t a big deal in terms of damage, it showed how quickly something small can shake up the normal flow of school.”
According to the Pascack Valley Echo, the school was inspected by the Northwest Bergen Board of Health, the local fire inspector, and other district officials. While much cooking equipment had to be discarded due to the smoke, the process to restore the school has already begun.
The students were officially allowed to go back to school on Friday, but safety precautions are still in progress.
