| A late night house fire caused severe damage to a home at 23 Temple Lane in the Twin Hills section of Willingboro. The department was dispatched at 11:24 pm on January 10th for the report of a house on fire. The Burlington County 911 Dispatch Center had received numerous phone calls reporting the fire. First arriving police and EMS units also reported fire and smoke from the garage area of the home.
Engines 1613 and 1611 arrived on scene in 5 minutes and Captain Ramsey reported a single story home with fire showing from the garage. He requested County's 911 Dispatch Center to announce "All Companies In Service" which indicates a significant fire incident, as his crew prepared to fight the fire. Firefighters Fresco and Anderson entered the structure with a 1 3/4" handline. They found heavy fire conditions in the kitchen and attic area as well as the garage and utility room. While in the process of fighting the fire a natural gas line inside the house was severed which caused the fire to intensify.
Westampton Engine 2721 arrived on scene and the crew was ordered to force entry to the garage of the home to help ventilate the trapped heat and smoke. As the crew was making progress in removing the garage door a flashover occurred which caused the entire garage to become engulfed in fire. The Westampton crew then started to use a second 1 3/4" handline to start extinguishing the fire in the garage. Even with the efforts of both crews the fire was still continuing to intensify.
Chief of Department Burnett arrived on scene and assumed Command of the incident. Mount Laurel Quint 3624 was ordered to raise its ladder and flow water on the now fully involved garage. With the combination of the crew operating inside the home and the heavy water flow from Quint 3624 the fire was able to extinguish most of the fire while crews awaited the shutting off of the natural gas service. The remainder of the fire was extinguish once Public Service Gas was able to shut off the natural gas service for the house. The fire was placed under control at 11:59 pm.
Most of the home sustained heavy damage as a result of the fire. The occupants of the home were able to find temporary housing. No firefighters or civilians were injured during the fire. An investigation is being conducted by the Burlington County and NJ State Fire Marshal's Offices, and no cause has been found at this time. Willingboro Township was covered by an engine from Delran and a ladder from Burlington City. All units were cleared from the scene at 4:36 am.
Photos Courtesy of Melanie Hennessee (Willingboro EMS) and Willingboro Fire Department |
