By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
A fire that started in a car parked outside a home on Brunswick Pike destroyed the car and nearly touched off a fire in the house shortly after noon on Nov. 29, according to Lawrence Township Fire Marshal Dale Robbins.
The victim came out of the house, which was located on Brunswick Pike near President Avenue, and started the car. She saw smoke coming from the engine compartment was on fire, and called 911.
The township’s daytime crew of paid firefighters were dispatched at 12:21 p.m., and arrived within minutes. Concerned that the fire was spreading to the house, additional volunteer firefighters from the Slackwood, Lawrence Road and Lawrenceville fire companies were dispatched, Mr. Robbins said.
Part of the siding on the front of the house and the soffit on the front porch roof melted from the heat of the fire, but flames did not spread inside the house. It was contained to the engine compartment, he said. Officials suspect the fire was caused by a fuel leak in the engine compartment.