Early Morning Fire Destroys Home in Garfield North

Willingboro Firefighters responded to the fourth significant house fire this month in the early morning hours of July 24th. The department's A Platoon was notified at 4:48 am of a house fire at the corner of Northampton Drive and Norwood Lane. Ladder 1615 arrived in six minutes and found fire through the roof in the kitchen at 44 Norwood Lane. As the crew dismounted the vehicle, neighbors advised them that there may be an elderly resident still in the home.

Due to being committed on an earlier incident, Engine 1613 arrived two minutes after the ladder, and Captain Sitzenstock ordered the engine crew to lead off with a 2 1/2" blitz line. Firefighter's Friddell and J. Clark entered the home to search for the resident. Firefighter Robertson broke windows in the bedrooms and living room, then used a Thermal Imaging Camera to search the bedrooms and living room from the outside. Firefighters Friddell and Clark were forced to quickly evacuate the structure due to rapidly deteriorating conditions.

Chief of Department Burnett arrived on scene and assumed the Command position. He called for additional companies from Burlington Township and City, Westampton, Delran, Beverly, Mount Laurel, and Moorestown. Ladder 1615 was supplied water by Engine 1613 and used its aerial device to put over 1000 gallons of water per minute onto the fire. Three 1 3/4" handlines were used from Engine 1613 to assist with putting out the fire and to put water on the neigboring homes to help prevent serious damage to the homes.

Chief Burnett placed the fire under control at 5:38 am. The resident was not home at the time of the fire. She had left the home earlier in the evening due to a power outage. The home was totally destroyed by the fire and may have to be torn down. The fire was believed to be accidental and is under investigation by the Willingboro Township Fire Official's Office.

One firefighter was injured while fighting the fire. He received a slight leg injury when he slipped on a tile floor while searching for a possible victim. The homes on both sides of 44 Norwood received damage from radiant heat. Some of the siding on both homes melted, but there was no significant damage to either home. The fire department left the scene at 8:17 am.