CBS News
SEASIDE PARK, N.J. — Four-hundred firefighters battled the massive Seaside Heights blaze along the Jersey Shore boardwalk on Thursday. Tim Farrell was one of the first firefighters on the scene.
“It was a hot fire right from the start. Not only did we have fire in front of us, we had fire behind us. It was a tough one,” the 42-year-old said. Farrell was still at it Friday, 24 hours after the fire had begun. “I kind of took a knee at one point. I kind of took it all into perspective,” he said. Farrell said he never imagined fighting a fire that big. Eleven months ago, he never imagined he’d see a storm like Sandy either. Farrell and his son lost everything and had to stay with relatives for four months before moving into another home in Seaside Heights with his girlfriend.
And then something else happened. “The worst thing that ever could happen to a firefighter. I got a call on my radio. When we got a block away from it, the crew and myself knew it was mine. First thing I saw was flames coming out of the windows and my heart dropped,” Farrell said.
Full story: Firefighter loses home twice to Jersey Shore catastrophes