By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
A discarded cigarette sparked a two-alarm fire that damaged a house on Moore Street, opposite Princeton High School, on Friday afternoon.
The fire, which was reported at 12:42 p.m., began on the back porch and climbed up into the eaves over a one-story addition to the house, according to Fire Chief Daniel Tomalin of the Princeton Fire Department.
Flames began to spread across the back of the house, but firefighters contained it to the rear corner of the house.
Deputy Fire Chief Roy James said when he arrived there was heavy black smoke and flames coming from the rear of the house. The first fire truck arrived within five minutes of the alarm, and firefighters began to pour water on the flames.
”I saw fire on the back side of the area (behind the garage). With the hoses stretched, we began making our way in for an attack on the fire,” said Deputy Chief James.
Chief Tomalin said a second alarm was called for manpower. About 50 to 60 firefighters responded from the Princeton Fire Department, the Lawrence Road Fire Department, the Lawrenceville Fire Department, the Kingston Fire Department, the Princeton Junction Fire Department and the Plainsboro Fire Department.
It took about an hour to get the fire under control, Chief Tomalin said. There were voids, or empty spaces, in the roof area over the addition and between the addition and the garage where flames could have spread. Firefighters continued to douse “hot spots,” or small pockets of flame, after the fire was brought under control.
Chief Tomalin said that in addition to the fire damage, the house suffered smoke damage. He praised the firefighters for keeping the fire to the side of the house where it began and for not allowing it to spread.

