Fire Damages A Buckingham Park Home
 
By Firefighter Mark Robertson Sr.
August 1, 2016
 

A Buckingham Park home was damaged by fire on the morning of July 20th. The department was dispatched to 36 Barker Lane at 11:51 am. Several people called 911 to report the fire, one caller reported that someone may still be inside the home. Chief of Department Burnett and Engine 1613 arrived in four minutes and found a Cape Cod style home with garage completely engulfed in flames.

Firefighter Priest pulled a 1 3/4" hose line and started to extinguish the fire in the garage. Firefighter Centrone forced open the front door and visually checked for possible occupants. Once Firefighter Priest knocked back the flames, he and Firefighter Centrone entered the home to complete a search. During their search they suffered a cut in their hose line, which caused them to lose water for fighting the fire. The fire in the garage started to grow again which blocked the firefighters from exiting the home through the front door.

Ladder 1615 arrived on scene next, and Captain Ramsey pulled a 2" hose line from Engine 1613 and started to control the fire in the garage with the assistance of Deputy Chief Sitzenstock. Burlington Township Engine 3022 arrived and connected a 5" water supply hose from a nearby fire hydrant to Engine 1613. The crew of 3022 and Mount Laurel Engine 3611 took over inside the home to relieve the crew from Engine 1613. The units checked for any hidden fire in the walls and attic of the home. The fire was placed under control at 12:25 pm.

Due to the hot temperatures of the day, an extra alarm was brought to the scene which included firefighters from Delran and Beverly. These crews ensured all hot areas were wet down, and assisted the Burlington County Fire Marshals Office with its investigation. The department's Youth Fire Academy was also brought to the scene. They assisted with firefighter rehabilitation and equipment clean-up.

The home was deemed uninhabitable by the Willingboro Township Construction Office due to the fire damage. The American Red Cross was on scene to assist with providing temporary housing and other provisions for the residents. The electric, natural gas, and water service disconnected by the respective utility providers. There were no civilian injuries, but two firefighters were treated for minor injuries. A crew from Florence Township Fire Department was at Willingboro Fire Headquarters in case of other emergencies in the township. All units were released from the scene by 3:02 pm.

 
Units: Chief 1600, Deputy Chief 1601, Engine 1613, Ladder 1615, Fire Police 1618, EMS 16, and Ambulance 1691
 
Mutual Aid: Burlington Township Engine 3022, Mount Laurel Engine 3611, Beverly Engine 1222, Delran Engine 2312 and Ambulance 2393, Moorestown Deputy Chief 3101 and RIC 3113, and Burlington County Fire Marshals Office