Date: October 7, 2002

Time: 02:27 AM

Address: 68-72 Watsessing Avenue, Belleville, NJ

Incident: Fire breaks out in apartment unit, two residents burned in escape.

Two Belleville residents had to leap for their lives to escape the burning heat and flames of an apartment fire in the Silver Lake section of the Township early Monday morning.

9-1-1 calls were received at 02:27 AM reporting a fire in the apartment building on Watsessing Avenue, off Newark Avenue. Engine #3 arrived first, and reported flames showing from the top floor windows of a three-story apartment building. Firefighters stretched a handline from the pumper and advanced it to the third floor. Truck #1 arrived and proceeded to elevate the aerial ladder to effect a rescue of residents reported trapped within the units. It was then discovered that two residents had already jumped from their bedroom window and landed on the grass below. The distance was later estimated by fire investigators to be in excess of (20') twenty feet. Police Officers directed the injured persons to firefighters from EMS #1 in front of the building. They immediately assessed them for their injuries and discovered that a (31) thirty-one year old male, and (19) nineteen-year-old female, had suffered serious burn and smoke inhalation injuries. They were transported to Saint Barnabas Burn Center in Livingston for advanced burn care treatment.

Meanwhile, the remaining firefighters from Engine # 2 stretched a water supply line, and then brought in a second hoseline to backup the first already in place. Battalion Chief #4 called for a truck company to work, and a FAST Team to standby from nearby Bloomfield Fire Department, while a company from Nutley Fire Department staged at Belleville Fire Headquarters.

The blaze was quickly contained within the one living unit on the third floor. Searches were conducted to ensure all other residents had evacuated the building, and began overhaul and salvage operations to protect the rest of the structure from damage. The building had a unique size-up, as the structure spanned the width of a block, and held street addresses on both Watsessing and Brighton Avenue's. Firefighters were able to quickly ventilate the hallways from the deadly heat and toxic smoke. The first floor entrance on Watsessing Avenue was actually the basement level for the Brighton Avenue side, making the building appear taller than could be expected.

The fire was handled by the on-duty response Truck #1, EMS #1, Engine #2 and Engine #3, and the Battalion Chief. The fire was declared under control at 02:57 AM and completely extinguished by 3:15 AM. Firefighters remained on the scene overnight and continued working throughout the day conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire.

The building sustained moderate fire damage to the third floor, with smoke and water damage on the second floor. The building was turned back to the property managers in the morning. The two victims from the third floor were admitted to the hospital's Burn Center Intensive Care Unit. The Office of Citizen Services and the Building Department were notified to respond to check conditions. The residents of the undamaged units were able to return to their apartments as firefighters picked up their equipment. Some residents opted to stay overnight with relatives and friends due to water damage in their units. There was no firefighter or other civilian injuries reported.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, and will remain an active investigation over the next several days. ####