Barbecue Coals Ignite Fire That Damages Condo Units

The exteriors of two condominiums in Lawrence Township were damaged by fire Sunday (Sept. 4).

The blaze on Breckenridge Place, off Wittenborn Drive not far from the Brunswick Traffic Circle, was reported at 10:37 p.m.

Volunteer firefighters from Slackwood, Lawrence Road and Lawrenceville fire companies arrived within minutes to find flames visible at the rear of a row of attached condominiums. They had the blaze under control by 10:54 p.m.

The fire charred the rear wall of the building near where two of the condominiums come together, but flames did not spread to the interior of either home, fire officials said. There were no injuries reported.

Investigators determined the blaze started in trash outside one of the condominiums. Fire officials said the blaze was caused by smoldering barbecue coals that a resident had placed in a trash receptacle at the rear of her condo.

Firefighters from Ewing Township’s Prospect Heights Fire Co., Hamilton Township’s White Horse Fire Co., and Pennington Borough Fire Co. relocated to the Lawrence Road firehouse to cover Lawrence in case another blaze broke out while township firefighters were committed on Breckenridge Place. Luckily, no such fires occurred.

The blaze on Breckenridge Place was the second fire in the area on Sunday that was caused by smoldering coals that were improperly discarded. About 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Lawrence Township firefighters assisted at the scene of a house fire on Wiscasset Avenue in Ewing.