Two residents were injured in a three-alarm fire that extensively damaged a home in Union, NJ early this morning less than one block from the Maplewood border.
One resident was taken to the hospital for evaluation while the other refused treatment, said Maplewood Fire Chief Michael Dingelstedt. Four families lived in the house, according to reports.
The fire spread from the first and second floors of the house to the attic before firefighters brought it under control.
There was also a small explosion inside the home, which investigators told WABC was possibly an oxygen tank.
Maplewood Fire Chief Dingelstedt reported that Maplewood Engine 32 responded on a mutual aid request from Union Fire Department to Ohio St. at 4:09 a.m.
“Their initial assignment was to serve as a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT), which is a team ready to rescue firefighters in the event a mayday request for assistance is called.”
However, Dingelstedt reported that the Maplewood firefighters “were then reassigned to force entry into the home next to the fire building and perform a search to ensure there were no occupants inside.”
Dingelstedt explained that Maplewood firefighters also used a hoseline in the second floor of the building next door to attack the main fire.
“Once the fire was extinguished, the crew assisted with equipment and spent a period of time in rehab to ensure they were o.k. prior to being released from the scene. The crew was on the scene approximately three hours before being released.”
Read WABC’s full report here.
