IRVINGTON, NJ – Several people were left homeless on Sunday, July 31 after an early-morning fire engulfed their two-family home.
The Irvington Fire Department was dispatched at approximately 5 a.m. on a full assignment to 31 Rosehill Pl. for a reported fire. Within a minute, dispatch advised all responding companies that they were receiving multiple 911 calls for a working structure fire.
Deputy 44 Caponigro and Engine 42 arrived and found a large two-story occupied wood-frame home with the rear of the building heavily involved in fire. All of the residents were out of the home and accounted for prior to the fire department’s arrival.
Engine 42’s crew stretched a hand line to the rear of the building where the bulk of the fire was located. A second hand line was stretched to the first floor by Engine 41’s crew to try to prevent the fire from spreading further. Engine 44’s crew stretched a third hand line to the second floor in an attempt to stop the fire from entering the cock loft above them, but the fire was advancing quickly.
The roof was opened up by Ladder 41 and Ladder 42’s crew to try to give some relief to the interior crews. Heavy fire started to show from the cock loft and rapidly consumed the entire roof. Interior conditions deteriorated quickly and Deputy Chief Caponigro had the evacuation tones transmitted.
All fire personnel exited the building and defensive operations were set up with a deck gun, two 2 ½ - inch hand lines, and six 1 ¾ - inch hand lines. Once the bulk of the fire was knocked down from the exterior, firefighters entered the building and extinguished the remaining fire. Heavy smoke could still be seen throughout the building.
The fire was declared under control around 6:30 a.m. Extensive overhaul was conducted on all floors and in the cock loft to ensure all hot spots were extinguished.
The home sustained extensive fire and water damage throughout and was deemed uninhabitable. The majority of the roof was burned through leaving a gaping hole.
Mutual aid fire departments from Maplewood, Union, and Orange assisted at the scene, while other local fire departments covered the town during the incident.
The fire is being investigated by the Irvington Fire Investigation Team.
