Nude Club 35 fire caused by ‘freak’ construction accident across highway

SAYREVILLE — The fire that destroyed a nude bar on Route 35 on Friday was a "freak accident" caused by construction work at a building across the highway, investigators say.

While the owners of XXXV Gentlemen's Club — known as Club 35 — are optimistic that they will open in two months, Fire Marshal Kevin Krushinski said Wednesday that it will take time for the damage to be repaired.

The fire started on the roof about 2 p.m. Friday and took about six hours to extinguish, Krushinski told New Jersey 101.5.

"There was a contractor working on the opposite side of the highway for a different project and it appears the equipment they were utilizing came in contact with the power lines and back fed to the (Club 35) building," Krushinski said.

The club is determined to reopen. Their roadside message board has the message "We Will Be Back" and "XXV Strong." Their website on Wednesday morning said that they would be closed for two months as they "renovate and build back," pledging to reopen "bigger and better."

But there's a lot of work to be done before dancers take the stage at the club that calls itself "New Jersey's largest all nude gentlemen's club."

Krushinski said the building is uninhabitable and will need extensive renovations.

"Once you start putting water through the building and electrical fixtures, it will need to be cleaned up, sanitized. If there's dry wall that's been affected, you have to pull that down. Everything's going to have to be redone," Krushinski said.

The building has to also be equipped with life safety equipment and utilities restored before the club can reopen.

A message left for the club's owners was not immediately returned on Wednesday afternoon.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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