Basement Fire In Ridgewood Came With Lesson, Firefighters Say

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — After a basement fire in Ridgewood was extinguished on Tuesday, the local firefighters' union said residents should learn two lessons.

Firefighters headed to a home on Arcadia Road around 6:47 a.m. Tuesday to put out the basement fire, police said. The four occupants of the house were able to escape with no injuries, said Police Captain Glenn Ender.

Lesson To Learn

The Ridgewood Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 47 said in a social media post that the homeowners had given them permission to post these photos of the fire aftermath:

"With permission from the homeowners, we’d like to share a few important takeaways from this morning’s basement fire," the union wrote.

They noted that:

• Smoke detectors save lives. The occupants were alerted early thanks to working smoke alarms. This gave them the time they needed to react. Test yours regularly and replace batteries or units as needed.
• A closed door makes a difference. After discovering the fire, the occupant closed the basement door behind him. That single action helped contain heat and smoke, limiting damage to the rest of the home. If you look at the photos, you’ll see a clear contrast—heavy fire and smoke damage in the basement, while the first floor remained largely unaffected. The door itself tells the story: smoke-stained on one side, nearly untouched on the other.

"Simple actions can have a major impact in an emergency," they noted. "Stay safe."

Read the post and see more photos here.