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LAWRENCE: Fire destroys townhouse

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   A Featherbed Court townhouse in the Sturwood Hamlet development, off Denow Road, was destroyed by a fast-moving fire early Thursday morning that also sent the homeowners to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation, according to township officials.
   The fire broke out at 41Featherbed Court just before midnight and one of the occupants called the Police Department to report the house was on fire. The occupants, whose names were not immediately available, evacuated the house. They were taken to Capital Health Medical Center-Hopewell for treatment of smoke inhalation.
   There was heavy smoke coming out of the front of the house and heavy fire at the rear of the house when Fire Chief Gary Wasko of the Lawrenceville Fire Co. arrived.
   Firefighters forced their way into the garage, which was also full of smoke and flames, said Chief Wasko. A burst of fire knocked two firefighters off their feet as they attempted to enter the house through the front door, he said. They were not injured.
   Another team of firefighters had a close call as they entered the house to try to extinguish the flames and the first floor partially collapsed, Chief Wasko said. At that point, firefighters were ordered to leave the house, and they battled the fire from outside.
   The fire was declared under control at 1:50 a.m., but flames continued to flare up. Firefighters stayed on the scene until 4 a.m., putting out pockets of fire, Chief Wasko said.
   The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Lawrence Township Fire Marshal’s Office, the Lawrence Township Police Department and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
   A Featherbed Court townhouse in the Sturwood Hamlet development, off Denow Road, was destroyed by a fast-moving fire early Thursday morning that also sent the homeowners to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation, according to township officials.
   The fire broke out at 41Featherbed Court just before midnight and one of the occupants called the Police Department to report the house was on fire. The occupants, whose names were not immediately available, evacuated the house. They were taken to Capital Health Medical Center-Hopewell for treatment of smoke inhalation.
   There was heavy smoke coming out of the front of the house and heavy fire at the rear of the house when Fire Chief Gary Wasko of the Lawrenceville Fire Co. arrived.
   Firefighters forced their way into the garage, which was also full of smoke and flames, said Chief Wasko. A burst of fire knocked two firefighters off their feet as they attempted to enter the house through the front door, he said. They were not injured.
   Another team of firefighters had a close call as they entered the house to try to extinguish the flames and the first floor partially collapsed, Chief Wasko said. At that point, firefighters were ordered to leave the house, and they battled the fire from outside.
   The fire was declared under control at 1:50 a.m., but flames continued to flare up. Firefighters stayed on the scene until 4 a.m., putting out pockets of fire, Chief Wasko said.
   The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Lawrence Township Fire Marshal’s Office, the Lawrence Township Police Department and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.