May 12, 2024
Manchester Twp NJ – On Saturday, May 11th 2024, at approximately 2:48 pm, officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to the area of S Hope Chapel Road and Ridge Ave, to investigate a single motor vehicle crash involving a tree.
Upon arrival, officers observed a 2008 silver Jeep Liberty, fully involved with flames with no occupants in the vehicle. The Jeep was located off the roadway of S Hope Chapel Road. Additionally, officers observed damage to a traffic sign and tree. The investigation revealed that the Jeep was traveling south on Hope Chapel Road when the vehicle crossed the double yellow center line, left the roadway, struck a traffic sign. The Jeep continued to travel south and impacted a tree where it came to a stop in the northbound shoulder of Hope Chapel Road.
The Jeep Liberty was operated by 49-year-old Laura Garciapoblano of Manchester, NJ. Mrs. Garciapoblano was transported to Jersey Shore University Hospital via medevac helicopter for treatment and evaluation of her injuries. Mrs. Garciapoblano is currently listed in stable condition. The roadway was closed during the investigation and cleanup.
Assisting at the scene were Emergency Medical Technicians from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, Manchester Volunteer Fire Department, Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department, Paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital LifeFlight Medevac Helicopter and Priced Rite Towing. The investigation into the crash is still ongoing, but at this point driver error appears to be the primary contributing factor. This crash is being investigated by Ptl. Sage Sysol of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit.
May 12, 2024-Updated 5/13 to include three firefighters sent to hospital.
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Not that there were many people awake and on hand to witness it, but the bravery of Trenton firefighters was once again on full display early this Mother’s Day Sunday morning (May 12, 2024) as they battled a three-alarm blaze that burned three rowhouses in the Wilbur section of the city. Three firefighters, among a group who had to “bail out” of the structures to avoid being caught in a violent eruption of flame known as a flashover, suffered burns and were rushed to hospital by ambulance.
The blaze in the row of three homes numbered 118, 120 and 122 South Cook Avenue was reported about 4:30 a.m.
Initially, firefighters were dispatched for a report of a fire on the first floor of the supposedly vacant, abandoned house at 118 South Cook Avenue. Dispatched at that time were Engines 6, 7 and 10, Ladder 4, and Rescue 1. Heavy fire and smoke was showing from both floors of the two-story structure, with flames starting to spread into the other two occupied homes in the row, when Engine 7 arrived on the scene. The “All Hands” signal for a working fire was immediately transmitted, which sent the remainder of the first alarm – Engine 3, Ladder 2 and Special Services 1 – to the scene. A second alarm, which brought Engine 1 to the scene, was quickly ordered by Battalion Chief Dave Smolka.
Firefighters quickly put a water cannon known as a “deck gun” in service in an effort to halt additional spread of fire from 118 South Cook Avenue. Simultaneously, they also stretched hoselines into the adjacent structures to extinguish the flames that had already extended into the interiors of those homes.
Despite their best efforts, interior conditions rapidly worsened to where firefighters had to back out for safety reasons. As they were making their way toward the exits, a flashover reportedly occurred and some firefighters narrowly avoided getting caught in the blowtorch of heat and flame generated by the sudden explosion of fire. As it was, two firefighters were burned and were rushed via ambulance to Capital Health Regional Medical Center. While their burns were reportedly of a serious nature they were not believed to be life threatening, according to emergency personnel at the scene.
The third alarm – which brought all remaining on-duty Trenton fire companies (Engines 8 and 9 and Ladder 1) to the scene – was ordered at 4:51 a.m. As a steady rain fell, firefighters fought the blaze with multiple hoselines. Much of the roof of the vacant house at 118 South Cook Avenue where the fire had originated soon collapsed. Once the bulk of the fire was knocked down and it was safe to resume interior operations, firefighters went back inside both 120 and 122 South Cook Avenue to expose and extinguish concealed pockets of fire burning in the attic spaces and walls.
The fire was officially declared under control at 6:47 a.m. by Trenton Fire Department Deputy Chief Gus Tackacs.
Trenton Emergency Medical Service crews, Capital Health paramedics, and a mutual aid ambulance crew from Lawrence Township, along with the city’s volunteer fire and police canteen unit, Signal 22, were on hand to support firefighters. The Red Cross was called out to assist displaced residents of 120 and 122 South Cook Avenue.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation by investigators from the Trenton fire and police departments, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and the state Division of Fire Safety.
