 PHOTO BY BILL TOMPKINS |
A four-alarm fire tore through a four-story apartment building on New Year’s Eve, leaving two people hospitalized, many injured and 65 residents without a place to live on New Year’s Day.
At 2000 HRS on Dec. 31, the East Orange (N.J.) Fire Department was dispatched to 395 Main St. for a report of a working fire. On arrival, units found a 60' x 75' four-story brick occupied multiple dwelling (OMD), with smoke issuing from both the basement and the upper floors and residents in need of evacuation. A second alarm was transmitted as some firefighters stretched a line to the basement while others removed the residents via the interior stairs and by Truck 1’s aerial. One of the residents went into cardiac arrest and had to be transported to University Hospital.
As a hose team was searching for the seat of the fire, flames flashed around them, sending them scrambling outside. Some received minor injuries, and the Engine 1 captain received burns to parts of his face and hands and was transported to St. Barnabas Burn Center.
A third alarm was transmitted as units were withdrawn from the building and companies regrouped. Additional venting and the exterior streams appeared to be making progress, and firefighters re-entered the building to attempt final extinguishments. However, the flames were traveling in the walls, and there was soon heavy smoke pushing from the upper floors and cockloft. Firefighters were once again pulled from the fire building. A fourth alarm was sounded as flames took possession of all floors of the building in the rear and started to extend forward.
Flames soon broke through the roof, creating a heavy ember condition, threatening the exposure 4 building and beyond. The exposure 2 building, a similar attached OMD, was also a major concern. Firefighters stretched lines to both buildings and were able to contain the flames to the original fire building, even though there was a partial collapse on to the roof of exposure 4. There was smoke and water damage to the exposure 2 building.
Shortly before the ball dropped in Times Square, all of the interior floors of the fire building collapsed to the basement, leaving only the four walls barely standing and a large pile of rubble burning inside.
Two churches across the street from the fire helped the displaced residents.
As dawn broke over the scene, units were still working to extinguish what was left of the building. An investigation into the cause will be attempted when the area is safe. Nine neighboring departments provided mutual aid to the fire or coverage