Smokey fire burns near Raritan Center in Edison

Several fires continued to burn near the Raritan Center in Edison Wednesday afternoon.

Smoke from a fire near the Raritan Center in Edison (Kevin Mott)

Thick black smoke could be seen rising from the Edison office and retail complex from as far away as Jamesburg, nearly 30 miles to the south. News 12 New Jersey reports the fire started around 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon and has burned an estimated 130 acres so far.

PIX 11 reports over 100 firefighters worked to put out the fire which required sea water to be brought in by helicopter.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service says sparks from a train locomotive started the fire which burned 130 acres.

Video taken from a helicopter by NBC 4 New York shows a column of smoke coming out of a building along railroad tracks with a second fire in the weeds. Firetrucks can be seen on a wooden road in the marsh putting out a third, smaller hot spot of mostly gray smoke.

Smoke from Wednesday's brush fire appears on weather radar (Radarscope)

Located along the the New Jersey Turnpike near exit 10, the area is surrounded by the Edison River and marshy land.

Edison fire chief Brian Latham tells PIX 11 the area is prone to spring brush fires. “It’s pretty remote, it’s a marsh area, and just like anything else, it could be a glass bottle that gets the reflection of the sun just right, heating up hot enough to just start dry weeds on fire."

According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service Wednesdayay's forest and brush fire danger was moderate.