Flanders Firefighters Battle Cold As They Stop Fire From Spreading Beyond Two Apartments at Oakwood

FLANDERS, N.J. - Jan. 7, 2015 - PRLog -- Flanders firefighters battled single-digit temperatures and a hard-to-find fire that damaged two apartments early this morning at Oakwood Village in Flanders. There were no injuries.

Residents of a second-floor apartment reported a fire shortly before midnight Tuesday. Arriving firefighters found fire in the ceiling of the apartment and spreading through the walls of the apartment above it and into the attic space. Although difficult to find and extinguish, firefighters were able to stop the fire from extending beyond the two homes into adjacent apartments. Firefighters remained on the scene until about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.

“This was a great stop,” said Flanders Fire Chief Michael McDermott. “The fire was hiding behind walls and in the attic. It’s hard to find a fire and extinguish a fire any time when it’s in those kind of enclosed spaces, but the icy weather we were working in and the limited access to the scene made it more of a challenge.”

There were no injuries and the Red Cross was helping the two families find accommodations. No cause or estimate of the damage was available.

Firefighters and emergency medical technicians from the Flanders Fire Company #1 and Rescue Squad were assisted by firefighters from Budd Lake, Chester, Hackettstown, Netcong, Roxbury and Stanhope. Mount Olive police officers and the Red Cross also were on the scene.

The Flanders Fire Company and Rescue Squad No. 1 provides fire protection and emergency medical services to residents and businesses in Flanders and, through mutual aid, surrounding towns. It is made up of about 45 members, all of whom receive training in fire suppression, rescue, hazardous materials response, homeland security issues and emergency medical services. The fire company operates two fire engines, one tower truck, one heavy rescue, a brush-and-foam truck, two ambulances, a multiple-casualty unit and a mass decontamination unit.

In addition, the fire company offers public education services including lectures, demonstrations, training and a trailer that safely simulates a smoke-filled home. For information about membership, donations or public education, call (973) 584-7805 or click on www.flandersfire.org.