Blaze does serious damage to house on Talmadge Drive.
By: Al Wicklund
MONROE A Sunday afternoon fire caused serious damage to a two-story residence on Talmadge Drive.
There were no injuries as a man, dog and two cats escaped the fire, which destroyed much of the house.
Some 30 firemen from Monroe, Jamesburg and Helmetta worked for five hours in extinguishing the fire.
No firefighters were injured.
Capt. Ray LeBrun of the Central Monroe Fire Company said firemen were on the scene within three to four minutes after the fire was reported by neighbors.
Police said the fire was started by a partially extinguished cigarette, discarded from a rear deck by David Arnold, 18, a resident of the house.
Police said the cigarette set fire to mulch under the deck.
Capt. LeBrun said the fire moved up the walls of the house to the attic where it spread and destroyed the roof.
"The entire roof was involved," he said.
He said fire insurance investigators continued to work to determine the extent of the damage.
Police said a neighbor, after seeing the fire burning under the deck, ran to the home and alerted Mr. Arnold, who was in the house at the time and unaware of the fire.
Capt. LeBrun said the family dog left the house with Mr. Arnold and the family’s two cats were found and rescued later. The house is owned by Diane Rudel, Mr. Arnold’s mother.
Police said the house was damaged to the point where it cannot be occupied. It had housed Ms. Rudel and her two children.
Police said the fire was reported at 2:07 p.m. The Central Monroe Company, the Applegarth Volunteer Fire Department and Monroe Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 responded.
The Jamesburg and Helmetta departments also came to the scene and provided personnel to fight the fire.