Firefighters Battle Mulch Fire For Over 7 Hours In Hillsborough

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — It took over seven hours for firefighters to extinguish a mulch fire in Hillsborough on Sunday due to high winds.

Hillsborough Police and firefighters went out to 1648 Millstone River Road at 3:42 p.m. to find a large pile of mulch burning at the back of the property, said Hillsborough Police Corporal Craig Heindrichs.

"High winds hampered firefighting efforts and the fire spread to a pole barn causing significant damage," said Heindrichs.

The high winds also caused spot brush fires to ignite in areas near the property and in the Country Classics development to the southwest of the initial fire, said Heindrichs.

Due to the weather conditions, the fire was upgraded to a three-alarm fire with units from all over responding including Hillsborough Fire Stations 36, 37, 38, Neshanic Fire Company, Montgomery Fire Companies 1 & 2, Raritan Fire Department, Middlebush Fire Company, Griggstown Fire Company, Millstone Valley Fire Company, Manville Fire Department, Green Knoll Fire Company, Plainsboro Fire Company, Hopewell Fire, Three Bridges Fire Company, Robert Wood Johnson EMS, Montgomery Rescue Squad, Somerset County Emergency Management, Hillsborough Township Emergency Management, Hillsborough Bureau of Fire Safety, PSE&G.

The fire does not appear suspicious at this time.

"Thank you to all our volunteer fire personnel and EMS for the long cold day yesterday fighting the mulch fire," said Hillsborough Mayor Shawn Lipani.

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