Deocrating firehouse nets fire, power loss

While putting up the annual holiday display, Columbia firefighters knocked down a metal pole that fell across three primary electric lines in front of the firehouse.

By: Linda Seida
   LAMBERTVILLE — An accidental fire Friday night at the Columbia Fire Company marked the third time one of the city’s four firehouses has suffered a blaze, and it was sparked by contact between a metal pole and power lines as Christmas decorations were erected.
   "Accidents happen. We’ve had our share of bad luck," Fire Department Chief Matt Hartigan said. "As unlucky as we were, I’m happy we were able to stop it and save the building, and we were able to protect the surrounding exposures on the north and south sides of it."
   An apartment building and several businesses are located on the south side. Residential homes are located on the north side.
   No injuries were reported.
   Jersey Central Power and Light cut off power for about 90 minutes to approximately half of Lambertville and a portion of West Amwell Township because the power lines were involved.
   The building on North Union Street incurred damage to its roof and second-floor interior. The fire company’s insurer was expected to inspect the damage this week, but until then, no estimate of how much the repairs would cost was available, according to Chief Hartigan. He said the damage could have been much worse if the fire had broken out in the middle of the night and gone undetected for a long period of time.
   Until repairs can be made, the company’s two fire trucks will be housed at the Union firehouse on North Main Street and the Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance and Rescue Squad on Alexander Avenue.
   The fire was just one of at least four calls volunteers responded to over the long Thanksgiving weekend, Fire Department spokesman David Burd said.
   Wednesday night as families prepared for the following day’s Thanksgiving, firefighters battled a chimney fire on Lambert Lane. Saturday, they assisted at a house fire in New Hope. Sunday, they responded to a call of smoke in the basement of the Lambertville House, but Mr. Burd said he believed that call was prompted by a faulty smoke detector.
   Friday evening, as the fire company erected decorations on the roof on an antenna pole, the pole fell across three primary electric lines in front of the building, and JCP&L was called in to shut off power and allow the pole to be removed and one line to be repaired, Mr. Burd said in a prepared statement.
   "Within minutes of the power restoration, smoke and flames were discovered on the upper facade of the building," he said in the statement. "Columbia firefighters, who were still in the building, immediately responded by moving the fire engines to safety and started to fight the stubborn fire, which was between the roof of the structure and the suspended ceiling of the second-floor meeting area.
   "The location of the building and the associated power lines as well as the fire being between the roof and the ceiling made it a difficult fire to fight. However, many local companies quickly responded to fight the fire and minimized damage.
   "Later investigation suggests that the fire was caused when high voltage electric traveled down the antenna pole to a steel plate, which affixed it to the roof of the building. As it continued to smolder, undetected, the involved area grew until fire broke out in the front of the building."
   In the late 1970s, a blaze destroyed the Union firehouse, which at the time was located on Church Street. The cause of the fire was never determined, but it is believed the fire began in the basement, Chief Hartigan said.
   Sometime in the 1980s, fire struck the Hibernia Fire Company on South Main Street. As the company prepared for a banquet, workers soldering pipes in the basement bar area accidentally caused a fire to start in nearby woodwork. The fire wasn’t caught until a police patrol discovered it at 3 a.m., Chief Hartigan said.
   The city’s fourth fire company is the Fleetwing, located on North Main Street.
   Columbia Fire Company President Orville Tillett said everyone can learn a lesson from Friday’s fire.
   "We must all be very careful when putting up our holiday decorations, particularly in the area of live electric wires," Mr. Tillett said. "Remember, ladders and other metal objects do conduct electricity, which can cause fires and could cause severe injury or death."
   He added, "We were very fortunate that no one was injured fighting the fire or during the original accident."
   Responding to the fire were the Lambertville Fire Department, the West Amwell Fire Company, the Eagle Fire Company, the Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance and Rescue Squad, the Raritan Township Fire Company serving as the Central Hunterdon County Firefighter Assist & Search Team, the Sergeantsville Volunteer Fire Company, the Lambertville Police Department and the Lambertville Office of Emergency Management.
   Columbia Fire Company Capt. Cynthia Tillett said in a prepared statement, "I would like to say thank you to all the members of the Lambertville Fire Department and all the other agencies for their hard work, determination and compassion shown towards our company and our valuables during our time of need.
   "You really helped our family out and for that, myself and I know the rest of the members from Station 4 are very grateful."
   She also said, "I really thank all of the companies and organizations that have reached out to us and offered us their help. It is greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten."