Lawrence Township Fire Log: June 4-10

Lawrence Township is protected by three volunteer fire companies: (Station 21), founded in 1907; Lawrence Road Fire Co. (Station 22), organized in 1914; and Lawrenceville Fire Co. (Station 23), founded in 1915. Fires, motor vehicle accidents, hazardous situations, chemical spills, natural disasters, floods and animal rescues are among the wide variety of emergency situations to which the fire companies regularly respond. 

When an emergency is reported through the 911 system, volunteer firefighters are alerted via pager. If they are available, they leave their homes, jobs or wherever they are at the time and respond to their respective firehouses. Once a minimum number of volunteers (usually four) are present, they staff a fire engine, ladder truck or other apparatus and respond to the scene of the emergency.

Between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday (with the exception of holidays) Lawrence Township's four career (paid) firefighters also respond to emergencies under the designation of Station 20. 

The following is a log of all 32 calls answered by township firefighters from June 4 through June 10, 2011. All calls occurred within Lawrence Township, except where noted.

The total number of fire calls for 2011 through June 10 is 448.

#1 (#417) Saturday, June 4 – Mutual Aid Cover - Colonial Fire Co., Hamilton Township

• Time of Alarm: 12:36 a.m. Time Returned: 1:22 a.m.
• Rescue 22 from Lawrence Road Fire Co. relocated to the Colonial firehouse (Station 18) to stand by there to provide coverage to Hamilton Township while Hamilton firefighters were committed at the scene of a structure fire.

#2 (#418) Saturday, June 4 – Mutual Aid Cover – Rusling Hose Co., Hamilton Township 

• Time of Alarm: 3:30 a.m.  Time Returned:  4:53 a.m.
• Snorkel 21 from Slackwood Fire Co. relocated to the Rusling Hose firehouse (Station 13) to stand by there to provide coverage to Hamilton Township while Hamilton firefighters were committed at the scene of a structure fire.

#3  (#419) Saturday, June 4 – Fire Alarm – 1300 block of Brunswick Avenue

• Time of Alarm: 4:10 a.m. Time Returned: 5:20 a.m.
• Alarm system malfunction. Stations 21, 22, 23 responded.

#4  (#420) Saturday, June 4 – Fire Alarm – Carson Road

• Time of Alarm: 7:21 a.m. Time Returned: 7:56 a.m.
• Originally dispatched as a fire alarm, this was found to be an accidental activation of a residential burglar alarm. Stations 21, 22, 23 responded.

#5 (#421) Sunday, June 5 – Odor of Smoke – Empress Lane near Stonicker Drive 

• Time of Alarm: 10:13 p.m. Time Returned: 10:34 p.m.
• 911 caller reported an odor of smoke in the neighborhood. Slackwood Fire Co. checked the area but could not locate any fire.

#6  (#422) Sunday, June 5 – Carbon Monoxide Alarm – Barberry Court

• Time of Alarm: 8 p.m. Time Returned: 8:25 p.m.
• Resident reported feeling dizzy with carbon monoxide alarm sounding in home. Firefighters checked house with gas meter but did not locate any problem. Resident was checked out by emergency medical personnel. Station 23 responded.

#7 (#423) Monday, June 6 – Hazardous Condition – 100 block Franklin Corner Road 

• Time of Alarm: 9:13 a.m. Time Returned: 9:29 a.m.
• Smoke was seen coming from an overhead electrical wire. Firefighters stood by until PSE&G utility personnel arrived to rectify the problem. Stations 20, 21 responded.

#8 (#424) Monday, June 6 – Investigation – Knox Court 

• Time of Alarm: 11:25 a.m. Time Returned: 12 p.m.
• A spark generated by a contractor doing work started a very small fire that was quickly extinguished. Firefighters used a thermal imaging camera to confirm the fire was out. Stations 20, 23 responded. 

#9  (#425) Tuesday, June 7 – Mutual Aid Cover – Colonial Fire Co., Hamilton Township

• Time of Alarm: 3:45 a.m. Time Returned: 6:40 a.m.
• Rescue 22 from Lawrence Road Fire Co. relocated to the Colonial firehouse (Station 18) to stand by there to provide coverage to Hamilton Township while Hamilton firefighters were committed at the scene of a two-alarm structure fire.

#10 (#426) Tuesday, June 7 – Fire Alarm – 3300 block Brunswick Pike (Route 1) 

• Time of Alarm: 8:50 a.m. Time Returned: 9:22 a.m.
• Accidental activation of fire alarm caused by broken fire sprinkler pipe. Stations 20, 21, 23 responded.

#11 (#427) Wednesday, June 8 – Fire Alarm – Lawrencia Drive 

• Time of Alarm: 9:35 a.m. Time Returned: 9:59 a.m.
• Accidental activation of alarm system. Stations 20, 23 responded.

#12  (#428) Wednesday, June 8 – Fire Alarm – 100 block Denow Road

• Time of Alarm: 2:44 p.m. Time Returned: 2:58 p.m.
• Accidental activation of alarm system due to unattended cooking. Stations 20, 22, 23 responded.

#13 (#429) Wednesday, June 8 – Rubbish Fire – Brunswick Traffic Circle 

• Time of Alarm: 7:35 a.m.  Time Returned: 7:45 a.m.
• Small pile of rags was found to be smoldering. Fire was extinguished. Station 21 responded.

#14 (#430) Thursday, June 8 – Odor of Smoke – Merion Place 

• Time of Alarm: 10:16 p.m. Time Returned: 10:33 p.m.
• Odor of smoke in the neighborhood was traced to a resident burning papers in a bucket. Fire was extinguished. Station 23 responded.

#15 (#431) Thursday, June 9 – Hazardous Condition – 100 block Slack Avenue 

• Time of Alarm: 11:07 a.m. Time Returned: 11:23 a.m.
• A passing truck pulled down overhead electrical and telephone wires. Firefighters secured the scene until utility company personnel were able to shut off power to the downed wires. Stations 20, 21 responded.

#16 (#432) Thursday, June 9 – Natural Gas Leak – Darrah Lane East

• Time of Alarm: 3:39 p.m. Time Returned: 4:02 p.m.
• Firefighters were dispatched for a minor gas leak in the residence. Stations 20, 21 responded.

#17 (#433) Thursday, June 9 – Odor of Smoke – 400 block Drakes Corner Road, Princeton Township 

• Time of Alarm: 8:04 p.m. Time Returned: 8:22 p.m.
• Telesquirt 23 from Lawrenceville Fire Co. responded to assist the Princeton Fire Department with a reported structure fire. Odor of smoke in the home was found to be from a short-circuited power strip. No fire. 

#18  (#434) Thursday, June 9 – Hazardous Condition – Route 206 near Independence Drive, Princeton Township 

• Time of Alarm: 8:22 p.m. Time Returned: (not available)
• Severe thunderstorm caused widespread damage (toppled trees, fallen power lines, etc.) throughout Princeton Township and Princeton Borough. After being released from the smoke scare on Drakes Corner Road, Lawrenceville Fire Co.’s Telesquirt 23 was sent to investigate a report of a live power line down in the roadway. Prior to arriving on the scene there, Telesquirt 23 was redirected to check out a fire alarm activation and a crew from Princeton Fire Department was sent to handle the downed wire.

#19 (#435) Thursday, June 9 – Fire Alarm–200 block Walnut Avenue, Princeton Borough 

• Time of Alarm: 8:24 p.m.  Time Returned: 8:45 p.m.
• Alarm system malfunction caused by thunderstorm. Telesquirt 23 from Lawrenceville Fire Co. responded.

#20  (#436) Thursday, June 9 – Hazardous Condition – 100 block Denow Road

• Time of Alarm: 8:25 p.m. Time Returned: 11:51 p.m.
• Primary overhead electrical wire knocked down by thunderstorm and arcing in the roadway. Firefighters and police stood by to detour vehicles and pedestrians away from the area until utility personnel from PSE&G were able to shut off power to the fallen wire.

#21  (#437) Thursday, June 9 – Hazardous Condition – 300 block State Road (Route 206), Princeton Township

• Time of Alarm: 8:45 p.m. Time Returned: 8:52 p.m.
• Telesquirt 23 from Lawrenceville Fire Co. responded to investigate a reported tree that had fallen on a house. Prior to arriving there, they were redirected to provide lighting for Princeton Township police searching for an emotionally disturbed woman. The tree incident was handled by a Princeton Fire Department unit.

#22 (#438) Thursday, June 9 – Assist Police – 300 block State Road (Route 206), Princeton Township

• Time of Alarm: 8:52 p.m. Time Returned: 10 p.m.
• Telesquirt 23 from Lawrenceville Fire Co. provided lighting for Princeton Township police searching a wooded area for an emotionally disturbed woman. The woman – who was completely naked – was eventually located and taken to an area hospital for cuts and other injuries she suffered while running through the woods.

#23  (#439) Thursday, June 9 – Vehicle Fire – Hale Drive and Mercer Road, Princeton Township

• Time of Alarm: 10 p.m.  Time Returned: 10:32 p.m.
• Telesquirt 23 from Lawrenceville Fire Co. responded for a reported vehicle fire. No fire found. Vehicle overheated.

#24  (#440) Thursday, June 9 – Carbon Monoxide Alarm – Fountayne Lane

• Time of Alarm: 10:16 p.m. Time Returned: 10:36 p.m.
• Initially reported to be a fire alarm activation, this was found to be an accidental activation of a carbon monoxide alarm. Stations 21, 22 responded.

#25  (#441) Thursday, June 9 – Carbon Monoxide Alarm – 4400 Province Line Road

• Time of Alarm: 10:21 p.m. Time Returned: 10:52 p.m.
• Alarm system malfunction. Stations 22, 23 responded.

#26  (#442) Thursday, June 9 – Hazardous Condition – 900 block Mulberry Street

• Time of Alarm: 11:09 p.m. Time Returned: 11:17 p.m.
• 911 caller reported that an overhead electrical wire had fallen onto a parked car. The wire was found to be a cable TV wire, with no danger to the public. Station 21 responded.

#27 (#443) Friday, June 10 –Brush Fire – 100 block Denow Road 

• Time of Alarm: 7:55 a.m. Time Returned: 8:27 a.m.
• Small area of brush on fire from where fallen power line arced the night before. Fire was extinguished and the entire area wet down. Stations 20, 23 responded.

#28 (#444) Friday, June 10 – Carbon Monoxide Alarm – Viburnum Court 

• Time of Alarm: 5:30 p.m. Time Returned: 5:45 p.m.
• Malfunction of alarm system. Station 23 responded.

#29 (#445) Friday, June 10 – Fire Alarm – Lawrenceville-Pennington Road

• Time of Alarm: 5:34 p.m. Time Returned: 5:56 p.m.
• Alarm system malfunction due to power outage in area. Stations 21, 22, 23 responded.

#30 (#446) Friday, June 10 – Hazardous Condition – Denow Road and Melvina Drive 

• Time of Alarm: 6:03 p.m. Time Returned: 6:18 p.m.
• 911 caller reported seeing parks from an overhead electrical wire. Firefighters searched the area but could not locate any sparking wire. Station 23 responded.

#31  (#447) Friday, June 10 – Fire Alarm – Wilk Court

• Time of Alarm: 6:39 p.m. Time Returned: 7 p.m.
• Alarm system malfunction due to power outage in area. Stations 22, 23 responded.

#32  (#448) Friday, June 10 – Fire Alarm - Sycamore Court 

• Time of Alarm: 6:52 p.m. Time Returned: 7:18 p.m.
• Alarm system malfunction due to power outage in area. Stations 22, 23 responded.