Numerous firefighters from Middlesex County battled two fires in Edison on Feb. 28.
One such fire involved a transformer at a PSE&G facility on Pierson Avenue around 4:20 p.m. and caused thousands of homes in the area to lose power, Edison Deputy Fire Chief Brian Latham said.
“The transformer, which uses mineral oil, was destroyed and caused 9,500 [homeowners and businesses] in Edison and Metuchen to lose their power,” he said, noting that he believed most power had been restored by the following day.
Latham said the Edison Fire Department responded along with Iselin Fire District No. 9 in Woodbridge, the Carteret Fire Department, and the Middlesex County fire marshal’s office.
“When we arrived at the fire, we waited to get PSE&G’s word that their facility was secure before we were able to use foam from Carteret’s foam truck to extinguish the fire,” he said. “This process of applying foam and water took about three hours. They were out there until 11 p.m. that night.”
Latham said they have turned over the investigation to PSE&G.
“The fire does not seem to have occurred out of the ordinary, but all precautions have to be taken due to [federal] homeland security [regulations],” he said.
Around 8:10 p.m., as firefighters were working on the transformer blaze, the department was called to another fire at a single-family house on Main Street.
“This was a subsequent result to the power outages,” he said. “The homeowners, a woman and her nephew, had candles lit and had gone to bed. The home had no smoke detectors.”
Latham said the female had been rescued from the home by a couple of neighbors; however, her nephew was still trapped inside the home when firefighters arrived.
“The man was rescued by three firefighters,” he said. “They found him unconscious on the floor in a bedroom. The man suffered second-degree burns and severe smoke inhalation.”
Latham said the woman was transported to JFK Medical Center and treated for minor injuries. The man was transported to St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, where he was listed in critical condition.
The Edison Fire Department, along with fire departments from Metuchen, North Stelton in Piscataway, Iselin District No. 9 and Colonia in Woodbridge, as well as the county fire marshal’s office, responded to that scene.
Latham said three Edison firefighters were injured in the single-family home blaze — two with hand injuries from glass and one suffered a back strain.
Around 3 a.m. on Feb. 29, the Edison Fire Department was called back to the scene of the same property for another fire.
“We call this rekindle, which is not uncommon,” Latham said. “These happen, with so much debris smoldering. A police officer who was on scene contacted the fire department.”
The home was destroyed in the fire and will have to razed, he said.