Close Call in Hawthorne: Firefighters Stop Massive Brush Fire Feet from Family Deck
photos courtesy of Hawthorne Fire Department
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hawthorne NJ, A quiet evening in Hawthorne, New Jersey, nearly turned disastrous on Wednesday when a fast-moving brush fire ignited along the railroad tracks, threatening to consume a local home. Thanks to a rapid, multi-unit response from the Hawthorne Fire Department, the blaze was contained just moments before it could spread to residential structures.
Hawthorne NJ, in an unusual incident on Veterans Day, the owner of a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette suffered minor facial injuries after accidentally reversing his classic car into a house on Franklin Avenue in Hawthorne. The mishap occurred early Monday afternoon, November 11, when the driver backed up at a high rate of speed, ultimately colliding with a single-family home across the street.
Hawthorne NJ, a late Monday afternoon, 05/06, crash on Route 208 southbound in Hawthorne involving a private ambulance and an SUV resulted in both SUV occupants being transported by a Hawthorne EMS ambulance to a local hospital. The SUV somehow became wedged between a bridge abutment and the ambulance after it veered off of the highway and up a steep embankment. The right travel lane and shoulder of the highway were both closed, causing major traffic delays through the area. A flatbed tow truck removed the heavily damaged SUV from the scene. The ambulance, which appeared to have been patient free, drove away on its own power. Hawthorne Police, Hawthorne Fire Department, and Hawthorne EMS responded to the incident.
Fair Lawn NJ, a head on Wednesday evening, 11/22, collision at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Wagaraw Road, Fair Lawn resulted in two (2) injuries requiring ambulance transportation, and a DWI arrest. Both crash victims were transported by Hawthorne EMS to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center’s Wayne facility. Fair Lawn Police detained the driver of a black colored Nissan Rogue and transported him to Fair Lawn Police headquarters for processing. Fair Lawn Fire Companies 1 & 2 also responded to the incident. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.
Hawthorne NJ, Hawthorne firefighters used hydraulic rescue tools to extricate the driver of a Nissan Pathfinder that was involved in a two (2) vehicle collision on Route 208 northbound near Utter Avenue on Saturday afternoon, 10/07. Following the successful extrication, the victim was transported by a Hawthorne EMS ambulance to a local hospital. Multiple individuals in the other vehicle involved complained of back pain and were also transported to a hospital for treatment. Hawthorne Police investigated the crash.
Hawthorne NJ, on Tuesday afternoon there was a partial collapse of a parapet wall at Hawthorne High School. No injuries have been reported and we don’t have information as to the cause but Fire crews were on scene securing the site.
Three (3) parked vehicles were damaged when portions of a west facing wall of Hawthorne High School collapsed and fell to a nearby sidewalk and roadway late Tuesday afternoon, 09/12. Fortunately, no one was injured in the mishap; students had already been dismissed for the day and the affected portions of the building were unoccupied. Hawthorne firefighters used a gas powered saw and hand tools to remove several remaining of the wall that were identified as being unstable. School will resume as scheduled on Wednesday, 09/13. However, several top floor classrooms may be cordoned off for safety reasons. Hawthorne Police, the Hawthorne Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, and Hawthorne EMS also responded to the incident.
Hawthorne NJ, one (1) person required ambulance transportation to a local hospital following a two (2) vehicle, Sunday afternoon, 09/11, crash in the 500 block of Goffle Hill Road, Hawthorne. The crash resulted in a considerable gasoline and motor oil spill, which required the complete shut down of Goffle Hill Road in the area of Sicomac Avenue. Firefighters from Hawthorne Fire Department deployed a significant quantity of absorbent material on the roadway in an attempt to mitigate the situation. Hawthorne Fire Chief Joseph Speranza also directed his firefighters to take specific actions aimed at protecting a nearby storm water drainage system from contamination. The individual transported by Hawthorne EMS sustained a non-life threatening crash injury. Hawthorne Police conducted the crash investigation and collected that information necessary to process a crash report.
Hawthorne NJ, three (3) employees of a sanitation company were injured when their truck crashed through a fence and down a steep embankment into a Passaic County Park after its braking system failed on a steep hill in Hawthorne late Tuesday morning, 04/26. All three (3) were transported by ambulances to local hospitals. Their injuries appeared to have been non-life threatening in nature. The damaged truck was removed from the scene by a heavy-duty tow truck. Hawthorne Police, Hawthorne Fire Department, Hawthorne EMS, and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident. A portion of Goffle Road was closed to motor vehicle traffic while emergency responders worked at the scene.
Hawthorne NJ, one (1) firefighter sustained a minor injury while helping to extinguish a two-alarm structure fire in the 200 block of Lafayette Avenue, Hawthorne on Monday morning, 01/17. Although a dog and a cage full of tropical birds were successfully rescued from the burning structure, several chickens perished in the blaze. An aggressive interior attack by Hawthorne firefighters confined the blaze to the home’s breezeway and attached garage. Hawthorne Police Department and Hawthorne EMS also responded to the incident.
Hawthorne NJ, the impact of a two (2) vehicle, Sunday afternoon, 01/09, crash at the intersection of Hawthorne Avenue and Warburton Avenue in Hawthorne propelled one of vehicles into a nearby residential structure. The adult female driver of that vehicle, a Honda HR-V, sustained a non-life threatening leg injury and was transported by Hawthorne EMS to The Valley Hospital for treatment. A flatbed tow truck removed the damaged Honda from the scene. Damage to the structure was light to moderate. Hawthorne Police, Hawthorne Fire Department, and Hawthorne EMS personnel and vehicles responded to the incident.
Hawthorne NJ, Hawthorne Fire Department requested help from several neighboring Passaic County and Bergen County fire departments to extinguish a house fire in the 0-100 block of Washington Avenue, Hawthorne, on Wednesday morning, 12/15. Hawthorne Police and Hawthorne EMS personnel & vehicles also responded to the incident. All occupants of the home, and their pet, were safely evacuated from the structure. The fire, which was reported via two-way radio by a passing fire department official, reportedly started in the home’s kitchen.
Hawthorne NJ, the driver and one (1) passenger of a Volkswagen Passat were transported to an area hospital following a Thursday afternoon, 12/03 crash in the 600 block of Goffle Hill Road, Hawthorne, in which the Passat crashed through an outer wall of a single family home and wound up in the basement garage. Hawthorne Fire was assisted by Wyckoff Fire at the scene. Hawthorne Police, Hawthorne EMS, and Wyckoff Police also responded.
Hawthorne NJ, Multiple non life threatening injuries were reported following a four (4) vehicle Wednesday afternoon, 07/01 collision in the 100 block of Wagaraw Road, Hawthorne. A Volkswagen Jetta was catapulted into the side of an industrial building, and a 4-door Buick sedan was propelled into a utility pole after the vehicles collided. One (1) vehicle fled the scene; three (3) vehicles were removed by tow trucks. Hawthorne Police,Hawthorne EMS responded to the incident. Two (2) Hawthorne EMS ambulances were required to transport patients to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center.
Hawthorne NJ, One (1) driver involved in a Monday afternoon, 06/08, two (2) vehicle rollover crash on Route 208 northbound in Hawthorne sustained a non-life threatening injury and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. Hawthorne Police, Hawthorne Fire Department, and Hawthorne EMS responded to the incident. Glen Rock Police assisted with traffic control. Northbound Route 208 was closed for approximately 30 minutes between Utter Avenue and Goffle Road, Hawthorne while emergency crews and tow truck operators worked to right and remove the vehicle from the highway.
Hawthorne NJ, A single axle, crew cab dump truck and equipment trailer owned by a local landscaping company, smashed into a SUV before barrelling down an embankment and crashing into the rear of a single family home located on Emeline Drive in Hawthorne. No injuries were reported in the Monday afternoon, 05/18 mishap. A heavy duty tow truck was summoned to remove the wreckage. Damage to the structure was moderate; a building inspector was dispatched to assess whether the home could still be occupied. Hawthorne Police, Hawthorne Fire, Wyckoff Fire rescue truck, and Hawthorne EMS responded to the incident. The Hawthorne FD Ladies Auxiliary provided refreshments to emergency personnel who were working at the scene.
