3 Alarm House Fire Injures Firefighter, 2 Pets Perish
South Brunswick Firefighters are praising quick actions for saving a firefighter who fell into a basement of a house on fire today. The fire which went to 3 alarms heavily damaged a Georges Road home and two pets persihed.
At 9:32am South Brunswick Police received a 911 call from a passing motorist that there was smoke coming from a basement window of a home on the 900 block of Georges Road. The first officer arrived and found the homeowners car in the driveway and the first floor of the home filled with smoke. Monmouth Junction Fire Department arrived and two teams of firefighters entered the home to look for the source of the fire and attempt to locate anyone inside. Approximately ten minutes into battling the fire, a portion of the first floor gave way and a 27 year old Monmouth Junction firefighter fell into the basement. The firefighter radioed a mayday call and that he had fallen into the basement. The second team was already in the basement and quickly located the firefighter and removed him from the home. Monmouth Junction Fire Chief Scott Smith said, “The firefighter who fell followed his training and immediately radioed his location. The other team moved rapidly to locate and remove him. His rescue is a credit to all the firefighters involved.” The firefighter was treated at the scene by EMS and released.
Chief Smith said in all 50 firefighters from all three South Brunswick fire companies along with several neighboring towns brought the fire under control. The fire went to three alarms. A family dog and cat were located deceased on the second floor of the home.
The homeowners returned home as firefighters were extinguishing the blaze. The South Brunswick Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was caused by an electrical short.
