By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Roofers who accidentally started a small fire on the roof of a dormitory at The Lawrenceville School formed an old-fashioned “bucket brigade” to keep the fire in check until Lawrence Township firefighters arrived on Feb. 26, according to Lawrence Township officials.
The roofing contractors were using a torch to solder the copper flashing on a new roof that was being installed on the Woodhull House when a spark ignited some sheathing under the new slate roofing material, Fire Marshal Dale Robbins said.
”There were guys on the ladders handing up 5-gallon buckets of water (to pour on the flames). They kept it under control under the firefighters got there,” Mr. Robbins said. The fire was contained to a small area on the roof near a dormer.
The fire, which was reported at 9:44 a.m., was declared under control at 10:07 a.m. The township’s crew of paid firefighters responded, along with volunteer firefighters. The Lawrenceville, Lawrence Road and Slackwood volunteer fire companies responded to the alarm, he said.
Firefighters remained on the scene for about an hour, checking to make sure the fire had been completely extinguished, Mr. Robbins said.

