This just came in from the Hillside Dog Run Association:

Hillsiders:

I just returned from an accident scene adjacent to Hillside. A truck blew up up underneath the Middagh Street overpass that borders Hillside Dog Park.

It’s a mess, toxic smoke billowing, lots of emergency services.

Stay away from the area yourself and with your dog.

The Fire Department has cut a hole in the chain link fence that borders the BQE to help fight the fire and access the accident scene. I suspect they may not fix it when they are done.

I’ve just contacted the Parks Department about this matter, and hopefully they will fix the fence quickly.

In the meantime, I’m heading over to the park to post signs warning Hillsiders not to allow their dogs off-leash in the large dog area. There’s a danger that the unpatched hold (which is very large) means that dogs could enter onto the highway with tragic consequences.

Be alert!!! Don’t allow your dog off-leash at Hillside until the BQE side fence has been fixed. Keep your dog on-leash as you enter the park and check to see if the hole has been fixed.

The hole is on the BQE side at the bottom of the hill, about 2/3 of the way away from Vine Street, and about 1/3 of the way away from the Middagh Street overpass.