MAPLEWOOD, NJ — On Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 10:11 p.m., the Maplewood Fire Department was dispatched to a reported smoke condition with power outage at 504 Irvington Ave., according to a Jan. 30 press release from the department.
Upon arrival, Engine 32 reported smoke showing from the front corner of the home. A hand line was stretched down the side of the home to the basement, where a smoke condition existed with fire visible in the ceiling. The fire involved some wiring and floor joists in the basement and was extinguished quickly, but overhaul was needed in the immediate area to ensure there were no hidden hot spots.
The smoke detectors had been activated in the home, prompting the occupants to evacuate on their own unharmed.
Mutual aid fire departments from South Orange, Irvington and Millburn were summoned to the scene to assist, while Orange, East Orange and Union fire departments covered the town during the duration of the incident.
The home was deemed uninhabitable due to the damage and loss of power. A total of seven occupants were displaced and are being assisted by The Red Cross to seek temporary shelter.
The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Maplewood Fire Investigation Team, but it appears to have started near the electrical service in the basement.
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