May 13, 2024
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–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.
Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora stated this morning, I visited them at St. Barnabas Hospital. All three firefighters were released with treatment for 2nd degree burns: one with burns on both hands; two with burns on back as result of fire flashover.
Yesterday’s MidJersey.news story:
Three Firefighters Injured Battling Three Alarm Blaze in Trenton, NJ
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.
