By Isiah Christie
Harry’s Daughter, a well-renowned and fan favorite Caribbean restaurant in Jersey City, New Jersey, on 339 Communipaw Avenue, has temporarily closed due to an internal fire incident. It was reported that Communipaw was filled with fire trucks, smoke was blasting out of the restaurant’s doors and fire was in the air vents, triggering two alarms. Such a devastating turn of events shook the core of the city’s residents, especially those in its native Bergen-Lafayette. Many neighboring households and businesses noticed the restaurant’s damage from afar.
Harry’s Daughter is among North Jersey’s most critically acclaimed Caribbean establishments, with a 4.4 star rating on Google and widespread appraisal for its food quality and selection, ambience, music choice and friendly staff. Its proximity to downtown Jersey City and Liberty State Park in particular makes it a frequent location for celebrations, holiday outings, dates, family dinners, and more. As a result, this news is not just another day to a local – it’s an unfortunate turn of events that raises concern for a location that many cherish and want to see succeed.
Following the event, regulars of the restaurant and other local authorizations flew to social media to voice their support. “So sad to hear this – wishing you all a speedy recovery from this misfortune – blessed that no one was hurt!”, the Jersey City Restaurant Owners Coalition voiced. “Glad to hear no one was hurt and thankful for FDJC (Jersey City Fire Department) with their swift response. Look forward to being back when they’re reopened!”, Rob Menendez, a U.S. representative for New Jersey said. The 8th congressional district congressman is a large fan of Harry’s Daughter, and wanted the incident to be well-documented to pour in support from New Jersey citizens.
This fire follows a series that have plagued Jersey City in recent weeks, including a dumpster fire at a local target, two weeks ago; an e-bike battery fire on Bergen Avenue two weeks ago, and a smaller fire that caught the attention of an FDJC fleet near Exchange Place this past week. While these tragedies are by no means correlated, it is a reminder to uphold safety practices, especially with the hottest months of the year on the horizon.
A timetable on when Harry’s Daughter will return is unknown as of right now, with no announcements being made on a re-opening of business. It is, fortunately, confirmed that no civilian was hurt in the fire, and evacuation procedures occurred swiftly and safely. As aforementioned, the Jersey City Fire Department was praised for their assistance in the situation, responding quickly and skillfully to minimize damage. Repairs are inevitable, so it’ll be a waiting game for locals that frequent the location – but above all, Jersey City is hoping the best for one of their trademark eateries.
