STRUCTURE FIRE

Date & Time: Friday, March 28, 2008 – 1:39 p.m.

Location: 328 Eggerts Crossing Road, Lawrence Township, N.J.

Details: All three Lawrence Township fire companies were dispatched at 1:39 p.m. on Box 22-10 for a reported structure fire. Pennington Road Fire Co. Battalion 32 (Jim Abbes) happened to be passing through the area at the time when he spotted heavy smoke blowing across the road. He immediately radioed to Mercer County Central and responding apparatus that he had a working fire in a large 1.5-story detached garage located behind the main residence at 328 Eggerts Crossing Road. With confirmation of a working fire, Mercer County Central dispatched Pennington Road’s Rescue 32 to the scene as the rapid intervention team. Telesquirt 22 arrived on location at 1:43 p.m. to find heavy smoke showing from Sides A, C and D of the garage. Telesquirt 22’s immediately stretched a 1.75-inch hoseline and forced open a door on Side C. Snorkel 21 and Telesquirt 23 both arrived at 1:45 p.m. While Telesquirt 23’s crew laid several hundred feet of large diameter supply line from Telesquirt 22 to a hydrant along Eggerts Crossing Road, the crew from Snorkel 21 proceeded to help Telesquirt 22’s crew. Rescue 32 arrived on scene at 1:47 p.m., followed by Engine 22 at 1:49 p.m. and Engine 21 at 1:51 p.m. A second 1.75-inch hoseline was advanced into the garage, as interior crews encountered a large quantity of burning debris. The fire was declared under control at 2:06 p.m. by the incident commander, Captain 22 (Michael Byrd). Because the garage was packed full of tools, building material and other items, firefighters had an extensive amount of overhaul to then perform. Investigators eventually concluded that a problem with a wood-burning stove in the garage was the likely cause of the fire. Because of the supply line laid across the roadway, Eggerts Crossing Road was closed to traffic during the fire. Fire Police Captain 22 (Robert Hazen) helped police detour traffic. All Lawrence Road units were back in quarters by 3:16 p.m.

Responding LRFC Personnel

Telesquirt 22

Officer: Lt. Joseph Dlabik Jr.	Driver: Paid Driver Robert Santello
Crew: Ff. Matthew Farletta	Crew: Ff. Keith Kent

Engine 22

Officer: Capt. Michael Byrd	Driver: Ff. Charles Commini Sr.
Crew: Ff. Steven Hodgdon	Crew: Ff. Sean Ryan
Crew: Ff. Steven Adzima

Utility 22

Ff. Joseph Dlabik Sr.

Ff. Wayne Hannon Jr.

Private Vehicle

Fire Police Capt. Robert Hazen

All photos copyright (c) 2008 by Michael Ratcliffe