Lawrence Firefighters Among Crews Called Into Princeton to Help Battle Back-to-Back Blazes

Thunderstorms swept through Princeton Thursday evening (Aug. 9), sparking back-to-back structure fires on Jefferson Road and Henderson Avenue. 

Shortly thereafter, emergency crews responded to a three-car accident on Cherry Valley Road near the intersection of Heather Lane on the Princeton Township-Montgomery border after a woman driving a BMW fishtailed at a sharp curve, sideswiped a Lexus and then crashed head-on into another sedan, according to Montgomery Township police, who handled the accident. 

The drivers of the BMW and the Lexus were unhurt, police said. First responders had to remove the door of the sedan that was struck head-on to extricate the female driver fro mthe wreckage. She was taken by ambulance to the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro, according to police.

Cherry Valley Road was temporarily closed by police between Great Road and Province Line Road as a result of the collision.

The fires on Jefferson Road and Henderson Avenue were both sparked by lightning, according to Bob Gregory, Princeton's Director of Emergency Management. 

At about 5:45 p.m., a fire broke out in the second floor wall and attic of the home at 119 Jefferson Rd.

The house, which is under renovation, was empty, Princeton Fire Chief Dan Tomalin said. Because the walls were already partially removed for renovation, the fire was quickly knocked down, Tomalin said. 

At about 6:20 p.m., some of the firefighters at Jefferson Road were dispatched to 19 Henderson Ave., off Mountain Avenue, after lightning sparked another fire. 

Gregory said a neighbor saw a flash of lightning strike behind the home, possibly a tree that towers in back of the house. Firefighters stretched a hoseline into the attic and quickly entinguished the blaze, Princeton Deputy Fire Chief Roy James said. 

In addition to the Princeton Fire Department, fire departments from Montgomery, Plainsboro and Rocky Hill and Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad responded to the Jefferson Road fire.

Plainsboro, Rocky Hill and Lawrence Township fire departments, along with PFARS, responded to the Henderson Avenue blaze.

Firefighters from West Windsor's Princeton Junction Fire Co., meanswhile, responded to the Cherry Valley Road accident.