Date: February 16, 2002

Time: 08:40 AM

Address: 529 Joralemon Street, Belleville, NJ

Incident: Early morning apartment fire in an occupied building

Belleville firefighters made an aggressive attack against an apartment fire Saturday morning (February 16), despite riding an understaffed truck company that was first due at the scene.

9-1-1 calls were received at 08:40 AM reporting a fire at the intersection of Joralemon Street and E. Passaic Avenue. EMS # 1 arrived first at 08:42 AM, and reported fire and smoke showing from the second floor of an apartment building at 529 Joralemon Street. Truck #1 arrived behind the ambulance and confirmed a working fire. Battalion # 3 sized up the structure as a two-story brick and wood building, approximately 50' feet by 100' feet. The Captain from Truck # 1 entered the building to search for occupants, while the truck operator stretched an initial attack hoseline to the entrance. EMS # 1 firefighters geared up and went to assist the truck company. As Engine # 2 arrived, a water supply was established from the hydrant, and those firefighters brought the hoseline to the second floor, where the Captain was waiting. A search of occupants proved to be negative at this time, and the line was advanced in to extinguish fire flames.

The blaze spread quickly due to the contents in the room. The flames vented out one window and into the hallway. An aggressive attack contained the bulk of the fire to the original room only, and prevented it from spreading to the rest of the building.

The fire was handled by the on-duty response of eleven firefighters. (Two firefighters on Truck #1, 2 on EMS #1, three each on Engine #2 and #3, and the Battalion Chief. They were aided by Nutley EMS, who treated several injuries and rehabbed firefighters at the scene. The fire was declared under control at 08:50 AM, and completely extinguished by 09:10 AM. Firefighters remained on the scene until approximately 9:40 AM conducting an investigation and overhauling the building.

The residents of the apartment were home at the time of the fire, and were forced to relocate with relatives. The structure sustained heavy fire damage to the apartment unit, with smoke damage on the second floor, and smoke and water damage on the first floor, a Karate School. Area residents and a crowd of passer-bys gathered as a major thoroughfare was closed down, and praised the firefighters for their quick actions. The owners of Rosebud's Sweet Shop offered drinks and water to the firefighters.

Two civilians and t wo firefighters were injured at the fire. One resident reported smoke inhalation, one firefighter reported a leg injury and chest pain, and second firefighter reported a shoulder injury. EMS # 1 transported one firefighter and one civilian to Clara Maass Hospital for treatment. EMS # 1 then responded back to the scene for the building owner, who experienced chest pains when he arrived at the scene to survey the damage.

The cause of the fire is being investigated at this time, and preliminary results indicate the fire was accidental in nature.

####