Glen Rock Firefighter Falls Through the floor at Vacant House Fire

photo courtesy Glen Rock Volunteer Fire Department

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Glen Rock NJ, On Wednesday, October 2nd at approximately 10:45 pm the Glen Rock Fire Department was dispatched to 154 Greenway Road for a report of smoke coming from the 2nd floor of a vacant house. Chief Aguliar and Assistant Chief Jennings arrived on the scene and found a working fire on the 1st floor of the structure. Engine 831 took a hydrant laying in, stretched a 1 3/4″ attack line, and made entry to find visible fire coming through the floor. Knocking down the fire they attempted to locate the basement stairs to check for fire in the basement. The officer of 831 sounding the floor in front of the hose line suddenly fell through the 1st floor into the basement. He declared a mayday and was able to self-extricate himself out of the basement and exited with the hose crew outside of the structure clearing the mayday. Ladder 832 and a Ridgewood engine company were able to stretch the 2nd line to the basement and confirm the fire was contained/extinguished to the floor between the basement and the 1st floor. Mutual companies assisted in primary and secondary searches as well as an overhaul.

The Glen Rock Fire Department thanked the Glen Rock Police, Glen Rock Ambulance Corps, Hawthorne Ambulance Corps, Hawthorne Fire Department, Ridgewood Fire Department, Fair Lawn Fire Department, Midland Park Fire Department, and Paramus Fire Department for their response and assistance.

The officer of 831 was transported to Valley Hospital and was released with no major injuries.

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental due to construction being done on the home.