Parsippany Firemen Knock Down Fire In "Energized" Home

PARSIPPANY, NJ - Parsippany District 5 Fire Department and mutual aid firefighters knocked down a residential fire on Sunday.

Parsippany District 5 Fire Department along with the Lake Hiawatha Fire Department, Parsippany Fire District 4, Whippany Fire Department RIC Team and Parsippany Volunteer Ambulance Squad responded residential structure fire Sunday afternoon and on arrival the home owner reported a fire that they extinguished prior to arrival, authorities said.

Upon further investigation, an odor of something burning was found in the residence as well as a smoke condition in the attic. Crews from Engine 54 arrived and pulled a handline and stretched into the attic. Engine 54's crew then proceeded to start checking the attic finding numerous hot spots under the floor, authorities said. Ladder 5 arrived and set up to the roof and sent a crew who confirmed additional hot spots from the room. Another crew from Ladder 5 and Utility 5 found a hot spot on the back corner corner of the building. Crews were then able to identify a major electrical issue in the residence causing the house to become "energized" causing further issues.

Often times an energized home can mean current running through metal frames of appliances around the home.

Crews from Squad 5 and District 4 then identified additional hot spots in the wall of the kitchen area. Due to the construction of the home, work that had been completed since it's construction, and the current electrical issues, the process to expose the fire took a longer time than usual and required an extreme amount of manpower due to access issues, authorities said.

Fire was found burning in between the ceiling of the first floor and the floor of the attic. Members deployed a salvage tarp in an effort to minimize as much damage as possible to the residence. The fire was held in the ceiling between the first floor and the attic as well as the wall in the kitchen, officials said.

Chief 5, Deputy 5, Engine 51, Ladder 5, Engine 54, Squad 5, and Utility 5 operated for just under three hours before returning to service, officials said.

While District 5 operated at this fire, the Pine Brook Volunteer Fire Department was requested to stand by with a Tower along with the Boonton Fire Department for an Engine. During this incident, Pine Brook and Boonton covered a Brush Fire on Route 80 West and then a Commercial Fire Alarm in our District with the Mount Tabor Volunteer Fire Department who was covering for District 4. The Parsippany Rescue and Recovery Unit was then requested to fill air bottles after the call. The Parsippany Police Department was also on scene for traffic control while South Beverwyck Road was closed.

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