Fire did heavy damage to this home on Melrose Place in South Orange.
SOUTH ORANGE — A fire captain and three dogs were injured in a Saturday afternoon fire on Melrose Place.
The South Essex Fire Department responded to 356 Melrose Place for a reported structure fire at 12:05 p.m. on Saturday, March 21.
Responding units included Headquarters 1, Deputy 3, Engine 83, Engine 34, and Ladder 81. At the time of dispatch, Squad 32 was on a mutual aid assignment in Irvington and responded from Irvington Fire Headquarters, according to a statement from the fire department.
Deputy 3 arrived on scene at 12:08 p.m. and found smoke coming from the two and a half story, residential dwelling. Deputy 3 transmitted a second alarm and requested two ambulances to respond to the scene, the statement said.
While conducting a survey of the structure, Deputy 3 received reports of three dogs trapped in the house and advised arriving units of heavy smoke and fire visible on the first floor in the rear of the structure.
Engine 83, Ladder 81, and Engine 34 arrived on scene at 12:09 p.m. Engine 83 was assigned to fire attack. Ladder 81 split their crew to conduct primary searches and horizontal ventilation. Engine 34 established a continuous water supply for Engine 83 and stretched a backup line. Upon their arrival, Squad 32 was assigned to assist with primary searches, the statement said.
While stretching an interior fire suppression line, Engine 83’s captain advised command of hoarding conditions, prompting Deputy 3 to transmit a third alarm. Clutter and hoarding conditions place an increased demand on operations due to the labor-intensive need to open up and expose any hidden, smoldering fire, the statement said.
At 12:35 p.m., while conducting operations on the second floor, the captain of Engine 34 fell through the floor landing on the first floor. Another interior company was operating on the first floor and was able to immediately remove the downed member from the structure and transfer them into the care of Emergency Medical Services. A mayday was subsequently declared and cleared for the downed member, the statement said.
That member was transported to University Hospital and later released with non-life threatening injuries.
South Essex units and mutual aid units operated on scene for approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes conducting fire suppression, primary and secondary searches, and extensive overhaul operations. Three dogs were removed from the structure with injuries. One of the dogs later died and a second was seriously injured, the owner, Stephanie Staszak, told WABC-TV.
The fire was placed under control at 1:36 p.m. The scene was turned over to South Orange Fire Prevention who will be responsible for the investigation.
A GoFundMe page was set up for the owner. The page said that the owner had lived in the house for more than 50 years. “Tragically, today her house caught on fire and was severely damaged and her dogs were injured. She is safe, but cannot live in her house and will be rebuilding in the days and months ahead,” it said.
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