Hazlet House Fire Leaves Man with Burns; Medevac Helicopter Responds

A man suffered burns to his hands today after he tried to extinguish a small fire in a bathroom, sparked by soldering equipment, at 32 Hemlock Street. 

DJ Itri was transported to The Burn Center at St. Barnabus in Livingston, NJ. by a state police helicopter, which touched down in the parking lot of Holy Family School. The dramatic site drew many onlookers from the neighborhood and Route 36. 

Homeowner Jen Itri said that her brother-in-law DJ Itri was working on her home's bathroom while her preschool-aged daughter napped. She and her sister-in-law went out to Home Depot to pick up supplies DJ Itri needed when the fire occurred. 

"We were gone for no more than ten minutes," she said. "When I pulled up, I had to park down the street. There were four fire trucks, two ambulances, all these people," she said, adding, she feared "the worst." 

She said she later learned that when DJ realized he could not stop the fire he ran to take the young girl out of the house. "He tried to stop the fire, but he left to take care of my daughter. His hands are pretty badly burned," she said. 

Hazlet Township Fire Dept. Chief Fred Yaeger said that the fire was quickly put out with a few fire extinguishers.

Hemlock Street was lined with volunteers from West Keansburg, Hazlet Fire Co. No. 1, North Centerville and First Aid squads from Union Beach and Hazlet around 2:30 p.m. on the July 24, 2011.