Man and woman killed in townhouse fire in West Orange

Two people were killed in a townhouse fire in West Orange, New Jersey early Tuesday morning. The fire broke out around 12:30 a.m. Northfield Townhouses. A man and woman were rushed to the burn unit at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston where they were pronounced dead. The home belonged to a couple in their 80s. Witnesses say the woman could be seen inside. "There was a report from a neighbor that the woman was at the window and went back into the house unfortunately," said West Orange Fire Dept. Chief Anthony Vecchio. The basement was engulfed in flames and it took firefighters some 45 minutes to get the fire under control. Basement fires are notoriously dangerous and this one was perhaps even more so because the couple had been packing up and planning to move in August, so there were boxes of belongings inside.
WABC-TV ABC 7 New York

Winslow Township closing 3 fire stations due to volunteer firefighter shortage

VIDEO: Winslow Township Fire Department announced Tuesday it's closing three of its stations and consolidating them into one station at the end of the year due to a lack of volunteers. The remaining volunteer firefighters at Winslow Township's stations in Tansboro, Albion and Elm will be consolidated into one "super station" at the fire headquarters along Cedar Brook Road. "To be honest with you, it's very sad," Chief Marc Rigberg said. "It's a struggle in today's world for us to bring people in due to a variety of reasons that challenge us." Rigberg said the reasons range from a general lack of interest in volunteering to people who want to help but work multiple jobs and simply can't keep up with the training requirements. In fact, the number of volunteer firefighters nationwide dropped 24% between 1984 and 2020.
KYW-TV CBS 3 Philadelphia

No Injuries in Major Vehicle Fire on NJ Turnpike in Edison

PHOTOS: The fire department responded to a major tractor trailer fire on the New Jersey Turnpike on Monday. No one was injured and the cause of the fire remains undetermined at this time. The truck had caught fire near milepost 84 on the turnpike, located in Edison Township, at around 3:40 PM. According to Fire Chief Andrew Toth, the front cab had caught fire and extended to the trailer. The firefighters towed the truck off of the turnpike, cut a hole in the top of the trailer, and filled it with water. Five fire engines and two rescue cars had reported to the scene, according to Local 1197. Three lanes were blocked off as firefighters combated the blaze.
TAP into Edison

Bayonne firefighter rescues man trapped in burning home; 16 people displaced

VIDEO: Blown-out windows are all that remain after a fire sparked Monday morning on East 15th Street in Bayonne. The fire started just around 10:30 a.m. The fire chief says more than a dozen people were forced out of three homes. One of those people had to be saved from a third-floor window. "We do ladder rescues for trapped victims from time to time, and we certainly train often. It's a manpower-intensive operation," said Bayonne Fire Chief Keith Weaver. A fire call ended up being a call to save a life. Video from Bayonne's Office of Emergency Management shows a firefighter rescuing a man from the burning home and bringing him to safety. Officials say the victim was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. He is expected to be OK. A total of 16 people from seven families were displaced.
News 12 New Jersey

Students escape injury after school bus bursts into flames in Sayreville

VIDEO: A school bus caught fire Tuesday afternoon on Louis Street in Sayreville. Police say there were seven passengers and the driver aboard the bus at the time of the fire. It was reported just before 4 p.m. Tuesday. Police say that all of the people on the bus were able to get off safely and no one was hurt. Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire. Bryce Ayers, 10, tells News 12 that he and his mother were driving home and saw the smoke. They were able to get to the area just as the fire department arrived. “There was fire everywhere. The battery exploded. We could hear the windows cracking,” Ayers said. Authorities say the cause of the fire was not yet known. Police say alternate arrangements were made to bring the students who were on the bus home.
News 12 New Jersey