Belleville firefighter and public information officer Scott Wentworth supplied the following information.
Belleville firefighters battled a tough fire driven by high winds in an occupied multi-family dwelling in the south end of the Township. The blaze threatened near-by houses. A civilian working in a rear yard was credited for his quick actions to alert the occupants, and bring them to safety.
A number of 9-1-1 calls were received at 1:22 p.m., Feb. 12 reporting a house fire with possible people inside. Battalion Chief #1 and Engine #2 arrived within two minutes and reported heavy smoke coming from the eaves of the building.
The fire engulfed a three-story wood-frame occupied dwelling in close proximity to a house of similar construction. Firefighters stretched a hose line and initiated a quick attack from Engine #2. Truck #1 and EMS #1 arrived on scene and began a primary search for any trapped occupants, and found that everyone escaped the building.
Engine #3 stretched additional hose lines to cover the first crew, and established a water supply from a nearby hydrant. The third floor was heavily charged with thick black smoke, and well involved in fire on the right side. Wind-whipped flames were extending outward, and threatening an adjoining house at 24 Van Rensselaer St. separated by a 4-foot alleyway. Firefighters had to breach walls on the third floor to extinguish the flames. The fire spread quickly due to gusting winds, upwards of 30 mph from the west, and the building construction had a concealed attic space that allowed the fire to spread rapidly.
The house at 24 Van Rensselaer suffered from exterior water and fire damage, and interior smoke damage. Due to the intensity of the fire, weather conditions, and the proximity to adjoining houses, Belleville Fire Department Incident Command called for additional alarms. Firefighters from the neighboring towns of Nutley, Bloomfield, Newark and North Arlington responded to the scene. Firefighters were rotated in crews to attack the blaze, and protect the exposure buildings from catching fire. At one point, the roof collapsed inward, and firefighters had to reposition their interior attack to avoid being trapped within the debris.
There were 11 Belleville firefighters on the initial call, responding with two engines, one ladder, one EMS unit and a Battalion Chief. The fire ultimately went to three alarms, and Essex County mutual aid was put into effect. Fire departments from the county covered the Belleville fire stations and the assisted with the extinguishment. A Rapid Intervention Team was called – a duty assigned to the Nutley Fire Department. Their sole purpose is to stand ready with special equipment to go in and rescue any firefighter or civilian found to be trapped inside the burning building at any point during the fire.
The fire was declared under control at 2:30 p.m. and completely extinguished by 4 p.m. BFD Fire Investigation Unit remained on scene until 12:30 a.m. to investigate the fire, and assist residents to retrieve any belongings they could salvage. Off-duty firefighters were recalled and responded with Engine #1 for fire-watch duties, checking for hot spots within the building.
The blaze completely burned through the third (top) floor, and heavily damaged sections of the second floor. The first and second floor apartments had water and smoke damage. Fire officials identified the three-story structure as having three apartment units, one on each floor. A total of five adults and one child from three separate families were displaced as a result of the fire; some were relocated with the assistance of Red Cross disaster teams.
The official cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but appears to be accidental. The Belleville Building Department was requested to the scene to evaluate the damage, and the house was declared uninhabitable.
There were no reported injuries to firefighters or residents, and two cats were removed from one apartment after the fire, and turned over to their owners for care.
Fire Officials are crediting a civilian who was doing work at 24 Van Rensselaer St. with saving the lives of two occupants. He saw smoke and fire coming from the roof and knew the third floor tenant was home. He called 9-1-1, and then ran into the house. Reaching the third floor, he forced open the door, and found a 75-year-old man in his apartment that was unaware of the fire. He assisted the man downstairs, stopped at the second floor, also kicking in that door. A tenant on the second floor was asleep, and he too was alerted and all three escaped as smoke filled the house.
Belleville firefighters battled a tough fire driven by high winds in an occupied multi-family dwelling in the south end of the Township. The blaze threatened near-by houses. A civilian working in a rear yard was credited for his quick actions to alert the occupants, and bring them to safety.
A number of 9-1-1 calls were received at 1:22 p.m., Feb. 12 reporting a house fire with possible people inside. Battalion Chief #1 and Engine #2 arrived within two minutes and reported heavy smoke coming from the eaves of the building.
The fire engulfed a three-story wood-frame occupied dwelling in close proximity to a house of similar construction. Firefighters stretched a hose line and initiated a quick attack from Engine #2. Truck #1 and EMS #1 arrived on scene and began a primary search for any trapped occupants, and found that everyone escaped the building.
Engine #3 stretched additional hose lines to cover the first crew, and established a water supply from a nearby hydrant. The third floor was heavily charged with thick black smoke, and well involved in fire on the right side. Wind-whipped flames were extending outward, and threatening an adjoining house at 24 Van Rensselaer St. separated by a 4-foot alleyway. Firefighters had to breach walls on the third floor to extinguish the flames. The fire spread quickly due to gusting winds, upwards of 30 mph from the west, and the building construction had a concealed attic space that allowed the fire to spread rapidly.
The house at 24 Van Rensselaer suffered from exterior water and fire damage, and interior smoke damage. Due to the intensity of the fire, weather conditions, and the proximity to adjoining houses, Belleville Fire Department Incident Command called for additional alarms. Firefighters from the neighboring towns of Nutley, Bloomfield, Newark and North Arlington responded to the scene. Firefighters were rotated in crews to attack the blaze, and protect the exposure buildings from catching fire. At one point, the roof collapsed inward, and firefighters had to reposition their interior attack to avoid being trapped within the debris.
There were 11 Belleville firefighters on the initial call, responding with two engines, one ladder, one EMS unit and a Battalion Chief. The fire ultimately went to three alarms, and Essex County mutual aid was put into effect. Fire departments from the county covered the Belleville fire stations and the assisted with the extinguishment. A Rapid Intervention Team was called – a duty assigned to the Nutley Fire Department. Their sole purpose is to stand ready with special equipment to go in and rescue any firefighter or civilian found to be trapped inside the burning building at any point during the fire.
The fire was declared under control at 2:30 p.m. and completely extinguished by 4 p.m. BFD Fire Investigation Unit remained on scene until 12:30 a.m. to investigate the fire, and assist residents to retrieve any belongings they could salvage. Off-duty firefighters were recalled and responded with Engine #1 for fire-watch duties, checking for hot spots within the building.
The blaze completely burned through the third (top) floor, and heavily damaged sections of the second floor. The first and second floor apartments had water and smoke damage. Fire officials identified the three-story structure as having three apartment units, one on each floor. A total of five adults and one child from three separate families were displaced as a result of the fire; some were relocated with the assistance of Red Cross disaster teams.
The official cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but appears to be accidental. The Belleville Building Department was requested to the scene to evaluate the damage, and the house was declared uninhabitable.
There were no reported injuries to firefighters or residents, and two cats were removed from one apartment after the fire, and turned over to their owners for care.
Fire Officials are crediting a civilian who was doing work at 24 Van Rensselaer St. with saving the lives of two occupants. He saw smoke and fire coming from the roof and knew the third floor tenant was home. He called 9-1-1, and then ran into the house. Reaching the third floor, he forced open the door, and found a 75-year-old man in his apartment that was unaware of the fire. He assisted the man downstairs, stopped at the second floor, also kicking in that door. A tenant on the second floor was asleep, and he too was alerted and all three escaped as smoke filled the house.
