Middletown Firefighters Recognized For Saving Unconscious Man From Burning House

Several Middletown firefighters were recognized and praised at the monthly Middletown Township Committee meeting on Monday, December 15, for their recent heroic rescue of a victim from a burning house.

The Township Committee, along with the Township Fire Chiefs, commended Captain Jack Hueston, Captain John Waltz, and Firefighter Christian Burbank for eluding a rapidly spreading blaze and rescuing an unconscious man from a burning home on Ocean Avenue in Leonardo back on November 14. Chief Michael Chenoweth, Firefighter Matt Deickmann and Firefighter James Phillips were also honored for assisting with the rescue, which involved the removal of the victim through a bedroom window, according to Middletown Township Fire Department spokesman John Isaksen.

Details From The Rescue Report:

On Friday, November 14, at approximately 2:42 p.m., the Middletown Township Fire Department was dispatched for a report of smoke coming from the area of the mud flats in the Leonardo section of the Township. Approximately 75 firefighters from seven companies of the Middletown Township Fire Department - Community, Brevent Park, Belford Engine, Navesink, Belford Independent, Port Monmouth, and East Keansburg Fire Companies - under the command of Department Chief Peter Laimann, responded to the scene, according to Isaksen.

First to arrive on the scene was Middletown Township Fire Official Art Revel, who immediately alerted dispatch via radio that there was a fully involved residential structure fire at 500 Ocean Boulevard. Ex-Chief Andy Spears then assumed command of the incident and requested the dispatch of additional fire companies. While performing a 360-degree survey of the exterior of the two and a half story single family home, Chief Spears heard a voice calling out for help from the inside of the burning building. Unable to enter the house, due to the heavy fire and smoke conditions, Chief Spears call to the victim to crawl to the rear door. The victim was unable to make his way to the door through the thick smoke, however, which had spread almost entirely throughout the home except for approximately only 6 inches above the floor, Isaksen said. The man was forced to then retreat away from the main body of the fire to a first floor bedroom, at which point repeated attempts to communicate with him became unsuccessful.

Engine 143 from the Community Fire Company arrived and quickly began to attack the fire. Local residents assisted the firefighters with connecting a 5-inch supply line to a hydrant 100 feet away. A second crew from the Community Fire Company, led by Ex-Captain Jack Hueston, immediately began attempts to enter the building, however, the rescue team was unable to enter the front or rear doors due to extremely heavy fire conditions.

After observing the victim through a side window, Ex-Captain John Waltz and Firefighter Christian Burbank deployed a ladder and followed Captain Hueston through the side window and into the burning building.

Members of the Belford Engine Fire Company, led by Ex-Chief Michael Chenoweth, arrived on the scene and immediately made contact with the rescue team that had located the unconscious victim. With the assistance of Firefighters Matt Dieckmann and Jim Phillips, Chief Chenoweth coordinated with the rescue team to remove the victim, who was at that point unconscious, through the window. The Belford Engine crew then immediately administered first aid to the victim until he was transferred to the emergency medical team for further care.

Captain Hueston’s team completed a search of the interior room and then exited the building. Fearing a catastrophic collapse of the fully engulfed building, Chief Laimann ordered all firefighters from the structure and directed firefights to continue with an attack of the fire from the outside.

Chief Laimann declared the fire under control by 4:08 p.m., and the last units left the scene by 6:10 p.m., according to Isaksen.

The house sustained severe fire damage throughout its entirety and was declared uninhabitable.

After the fire, Chief Laimann recognized valor exhibited by Captain Hueston, Captain Waltz, and Firefighter Burbank in their extraordinary efforts to rescue the victim. Chief Laimann also commended Chief Chenoweth, Firefighter Deickmann, and Firefighter Phillips for their skills and professionalism in assisting with the prompt removal of the victim from the burning house.

Also assisting on the scene were members of the Middletown Township Emergency Medical Services units.

There were no reported first responder’s injuries during the incident.

The fire is being investigated by the Middletown Township Fire Prevention office, the Monmouth County Fire Marshal, and the Monmouth County Prosecutors office.

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