By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY Nine fire companies along with Montgomery police and emergency medical services responded to a second alarm fire in building 13 in the Blue Spring Apartment complex on March 7 at 11:17 p.m.
Bill Ballinger, chief of the Montgomery Fire Company No. 2, estimated almost 75 firemen from both Montgomery fire stations along with companies from Rocky Hill, Hopewell, Princeton, Millstone Valley, Kingston, Little Rocky Hill and Hillsborough worked for nearly five hours to tame the fire.
Firefighters reported heavy smoke coming from the second story apartment upon arrival. Mr.Bill Ballinger said that within the first four minutes the fire shot through the roof with flames reaching 30 feet above the building.
”The firemen from the Hopewell fire company said they could see the flames all the way from Hopewell,” he added. The fire caused extensive damage to the building and burned through one-third of the roof. Mr. Ballinger said the building is not habitable at this point.
However, the firemen were able to salvage irreplaceable or hard to replace items like one resident’s teaching certificate and another’s Phd research thesis.Residents were evacuated and there were no reported injuries.
Building 13 has 12 units and, at the time of the fire, half of the units were occupied. All the residents present were able to locate alternative housing for the night with the assistance of the American Red Cross.
After investigation, the Montgomery fire marshal reported the caused was an electrical fire in the first floor bathroom that was backed to the ceiling vent.
”This is the second fire we had that ties back to the bathroom ceiling vent in the same apartment complex,” said Mr. Ballinger. “It’s a bit worrisome.”

