Unattended Tea Kettle Causes Kitchen Fire

An unattended teakettle is believed to be the cause of a kitchen fire at 28 Wychwood Road Wednesday afternoon that left the home uninhabitable. 

Fire officials responded to the home at 3:55 p.m. when the home’s fire alarm alerted the Livingston Fire Department. When fire officials arrived, a neighbor thought the homeowner, Laurie Mayer, was in the house. 

While the fire was not visible from the front entrance, Livingston Fire Chief Christopher Mullin said police officer Michael Herbert saw fire and some smoke at the back entrance, and the two first responders forced entry through the back door. 

“The fire was rolling up the ceiling,” Mullin said. In addition, Mullin said, two dogs confined to kitchen with baby gates were barking when they entered the house. 

Mullin used a water can extinguisher and extinguished the fire,  and searched the home for Mayer with the help of Livingston firefighters who had arrived on the scene.   Mayer was not home and arrived a short while later. 

An off-duty Livingston Department of Public Works employee, Dan Dente, offered to corral the dogs after they were released outside. However, one of the dogs bit Dente and members of the First Aid squad treated him. 

Mullin also reported Herbert injured his shoulder in the blaze.