By: Richard L. Smith
Image Credit: Priscila Krischer (FLFD)
A fire broke out in a Fair Lawn residence late this afternoon, prompting a quick response from local fire departments.
According to a statement released by Fair Lawn fire officials, the incident, which began as a basement fire, was reported at approximately 6:38 PM on the third block of 31st Street.
Assistant Fire Chief Mike Salvini of the Fair Lawn Fire Department said he was among the first on the scene, noting heavy smoke and fire emanating from the basement.
The situation quickly escalated to a second alarm, bringing all four Fair Lawn Fire Companies to the scene.
Additional support was provided by fire crews from Paterson, Saddle Brook, Elmwood Park, and Paramus, who either assisted at the scene or covered the vacant Fair Lawn firehouses.
"Basement fires can be extremely dangerous to our crews," explained Fair Lawn Fire Chief Pete Yuskaitis.
"There was a lot of smoke in the basement making locating the fire very difficult. The crews did a great job fighting the heat to get to the fire and extinguish it."
Despite the challenging conditions, the fire was brought under control in under an hour, with crews continuing to overhaul the building until 9:46 PM.
Chief Yuskaitis also reported that the house sustained severe damage and was declared uninhabitable, leading to the relocation of the resident.
Fortunately, there were no injuries to either the resident or the firefighters involved.
The response effort was further supported by the Fair Lawn Police Department, the Fair Lawn Rescue Squad, the Fair Lawn Office of Emergency Management, and the Fair Lawn Volunteer Ambulance Corp.
Approximately 40 firefighters were present at the scene. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Fair Lawn Fire Prevention Bureau.
