October 31, 2022
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER) — Multiple people suffered burns and other injuries in a house fire and were rushed from the scene in ambulances this evening (Oct. 31). Firefighters used a ladder to rescue at least one person from a second-floor window of the burning structure on Tyler Street.
The Trenton Fire Department’s Engines 3, 7 and 10, Ladder 2, Rescue 1 and Battalion Chief Dave Smolka were dispatched at 9:05 p.m. after the city’s communications center started receiving multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting that the multifamily house at 24 Tyler Street, near East Canal Street, was on fire with multiple people trapped on the upper floors.
Patrolling police officers were quickly on the scene. They confirmed people were trapped in the three-story rowhouse. Based on the police’s report, additional firefighters were sent to the scene as the “All Hands” signal for a working fire was transmitted.
Engine 7 arrived and reported they had a person hanging out a second-floor window. Firefighters raised a ladder to the window to rescue that person. Searches were made of the basement and all three floors and firefighters confirmed that everyone was out by about 9:15 p.m.
The total number of people injured and how they escaped from the fire was not immediately known. At least three people were transported by city and mutual aid ambulances to Capital Health Regional Medical Center. At least one trauma alert was called.
Firefighters used two hoselines to quickly extinguish the fire. The blaze was declared under control at 9:24 p.m.
Police quickly cordoned off the street on both sides of the burned building with crime scene tape. Investigators from the police department, fire department, county prosecutor’s office and state fire marshal’s office were called out to probe the cause of the blaze.
It proved to be a busy Halloween evening for city emergency personnel. About two hours before the fire, police and EMS crews responded to a double shooting in the area of New Willow and Kirkbridge avenues.
