N.J. Firefighters 'Nothing Short of Heroic' at Blaze

HIGH BRIDGE, NJ -- A fire in a downtown building early Wednesday left many residents homeless and shut down three businesses in this Hunterdon County community.

No one was hurt thanks to the heroic efforts of local firefighters, officials said.

Many tenants were still sleeping as firefighters walked into the burning and smoke-filled building at 15 Main St., officials said. It was reported about 6:20 a.m. by a passing motorist.

Not one of the common-area smoke alarms in the three-story building was working, one fire official said.

An elderly woman and children were among those inside as the fire crept through some of the old building's walls and ceilings.

"If this fire happened at 2 o'clock in the morning we probably would have had some fatalities here," said Hunterdon County Fire Marshal Al Layton.

The rescue effort began when arriving firefighters climbed the stairs and walked into the smoky labyrinth of halls and apartments on the building's second and third floors.

Borough Fire Chief Richard Haycock said firefighters even had to knock down some doors as they scrambled through the building waking people up and escorting them safety outside.

"What these guys did was nothing short of heroic," the chief said. "It was like a maze in there."

Authorities said the building's eight to 10 apartments are laid out in a somewhat haphazard fashion on the two upper floors.

Haycock said firefighters from neighboring Clinton were among those who took part in the rescue effort.

Clinton Fire Chief Steven Feinberg was bitten by an elderly woman's dog in one apartment.

The woman, 89-year-old Irma Brainen, initially refused to leave her apartment and had to be carried out by firefighters, officials said. She is staying with family members in Belvidere after living in her apartment about 13 years.

The borough's junior firefighters later rescued numerous cats in the woman's apartment.

The fire chief said it's believed none of the residents' pets perished in the fire.

The fire began in a second-floor apartment under renovation, authorities said. Preliminary results of the fire investigation show a burning cigarette ignited a small cushioned chair, authorities said.

The fire gutted the apartment and spread into the ceiling and walls, partially damaging apartments adjacent to it and above it.

The building's remaining apartments and three businesses on the ground floor sustained varying degrees of smoke and water damage.

Earlier that morning, two men identified by Layton as Thomas DeVito and Colin Anderson, were working in the apartment where the fire started. The men had already left by then, authorities said.

Arson is not suspected at this time, said Hunterdon County Prosecutor Steven Lember.

Michael Santagata lived in one of the third floor apartments.

"Imagine," he said. "You wake up from a dead sleep and somebody's banging on your door yelling 'Fire.'"

Santagata said he managed to save his four cats -- Otis, Soot, Brandy and Fuzzy -- by taking them out in cat carriers. He said the effort required a return trip to the apartment.

The local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found temporary quarters for many of the tenants' pets.

Workers at the Wild Things Pet Shop on the first floor of the building made arrangements to bring those animals to other area pet shops. The pet-store animals included an 11-foot snake and an iguana.

The two other business on the first floor are Postcards from Paris and Coco:Chenille.American Red Cross workers set up shop at the nearby Planet High Bridge restaurant and bar. Authorities said the agency provided eight families left homeless with temporary housing at an area motel.

Bill Cramer, owner of Planet High Bridge, opened his restaurant early and provided free breakfasts to those who lost their homes and to firefighters.

His efforts drew high praise from local fire officials.

Layton said the building is not habitable, but could be repaired. Electrical power to the building is shut off for now.

Authorities also had to temporarily shut off power to neighboring buildings as firefighters worked an estimated four hours to bring the fire completely under control.

"The response by our firemen was outstanding," said borough Mayor Al Schweikert. "They actually put their lives on the line."

The mayor said firefighters began saving lives before they started putting out the fire.

Schweikert said the building's owner, David Calamonica, has been working hard to fix up the building, along with the owners of the three businesses there.

"I feel for their loss," Schweikert said. "We'll do what we can to help them to get back on track."

The building was last inspected by the state Division of Fire Safety in 2000, said state Department of Community Affairs spokeswoman Jenn Monaghan.

She said the building is inspected every five years.

The division is not required to do more frequent inspections to check for such things as faulty smoke alarms since the building is not considered a "life-hazardous use."

That's a category used to identify specific buildings in need of more frequent inspections.

Monaghan said state inspectors visited the fire scene Wednesday and are still trying to determine if the common-area smoke detectors malfunctioned.

But a high-ranking fire official in Hunterdon County said the detectors failed to work.

Assisting at the scene were firefighters from Clinton, Annandale, Glen Gardner, Lebanon Township and Raritan Township.

The borough firefighters who went into the burning and smoky building to rescue tenants were Jim Banks, Craig Vannatta, Jeff Smith, Fred Tolce, Tom Bauman, Adam Payne, Bill Crampton, and Mike Hannigan, Haycock said. Clinton Fire Chief Steve Feinberg and Clinton Assistant Fire Chief Tim Lanton also joined the rescue effort.