Maplewood Firefighter Injured During Two-Alarm Blaze

MAPLEWOOD, NJ - A Maplewood firefighter is recovering from a burn injury after battling a blaze on Brown Street early Sunday morning that displaced nine famnilies from their home.

According to authorities, the Maplewood Fire Department responded to Brown Street shortly after midnight Sunday and when they arrived on the scene they encountered heavy smoke conditions that were reported by the Maplewood Police.

Engine 32 arrived on scene and reported heavy fire showing in the rear on the second floor of a two-story occupied dwelling. From there the attack commenced:

• Engine 32 advanced a hand line to the second floor for suppression and encountered heavy smoke and heat, while advancing to the seat of the fire.
• Ladder 31 set up to conduct roof ventilation, while interior crews made an attack on the fire.
• Engine 34 arrived and established a continuous water supply, conducted a search of the dwelling with negative results and stretched a back-up hand line to the second floor.

Once the seat of the fire was found, the bulk of the flames were extinguished quickly, but extensive overhaul was needed to ensure there was no hot spots remaining, authorities said. The fire was declared under control at 1:33 a.m.

There were no civilian injuries reported but a Maplewood firefighter sustained a moderate burn to the back of the neck and was transported by South Orange Rescue Squad to Saint Barnabas Medical Center, where he was treated and released, officials said.

A total of nine residents were displaced and are being assisted by the Red Cross to seek temporary housing. The residence was deemed uninhabitable by the Maplewood Building Department.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Maplewood Fire Investigation Team.

Mutual aid fire departments from Irvington, South Orange, Millburn, Union, Orange and East Orange provided assistance at the scene, while Bloomfield, West Orange and Montclair provided coverage for Maplewood during the incident.

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