PASSAIC, N.J. — Four firefighters were injured during a flashover at a four-alarm fire that damaged three houses and displaced 15 people Friday morning.
The fire, believed to have started from an electrical spark in the basement, required fire personnel and equipment from 14 towns in Bergen and Passaic counties, according to the Record.
One of the firefighters had to bail out of a second-story window when flames flashed up at him as he attempted to find a person that was reportedly trapped on the second floor of one of the burning homes. The report of the trapped person turned out to be false.
Two other firefighters were trapped in the same home and were only able to crawl out of a second-story window and became stuck. An aerial ladder was maneuvered to the window so they could escape. One of the firefighters fell to the ground and passed out from smoke inhalation, according to the report.
A fourth firefighter broke his finger while trying to extinguish the fire.
The residents of the homes escaped uninjured.