House fire sends woman to hospital

By: Rebecca Weltmann
   WASHINGTON – A woman was sent to the hospital and an upstairs bedroom suffered minor smoke damage when a fire broke out in a second-floor bedroom at 48 Church Street on March 1.
   Fire Chief Kevin Brink said he believed careless smoking was the cause of the fire, which started at about 1:20 p.m. He added that it took about ten minutes to get the fire under control and extinguished.
   Theresa Murphy, 44, a tenant of the house, was taken to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Hamilton for smoke-related injuries. She was released later that evening.
   "The crew did a very efficient job," said Chief Brink. "We went in, attacked the fire and put it right out. Due to our quick response, we were able to keep the fire contained to the room of origin and keep it from spreading to the rest of the house."
   He added that the second floor sustained other minor smoke damage and the first floor sustained minor water damage.
   Fire companies from Hightstown, Hamilton and Groveville also arrived at the scene to assist. A second ambulance from Hightstown also arrived after Ms. Murphy was taken to the hospital.
   Neither Ms. Murphy nor the other tenant living in the house was displaced, but Chief Brink said he had to escort both women out of the house at the time he arrived at the scene.