Two township teenagers are charged with setting a brush fire in Kendall Park on Sunday that injured a firefighter and caused the evacuation of three homes, according to police.
By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
Two township teenagers are charged with setting a brush fire in Kendall Park on Sunday that injured a firefighter and caused the evacuation of three homes, according to police.
The fire was reported at 3:37 p.m. in an open area to the rear of Stockton Road, police said.
Kendall Park, Monmouth Junction, Kingston, and Franklin fire departments along with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service worked to extinguish the blaze within 30 minutes, according to police.
Three homes on Stockton Road were evacuated and a Kendall Park firefighter injured his ankle while battling the blaze.
He was taken to a local area hospital for treatment, police said.
An investigation by Patrolman Monica Shearer determined that two people at the scene of the fire when police officers arrived had set the fire.
Police charged Maryum Salam, 18, and a 15-year-old juvenile, both of South Brunswick, with arson for allegedly setting the one-acre fire.
According to police, the teens were fooling around when they lit the fire and it quickly got out of hand.
Both teens were taken into custody late Sunday evening and were later released pending their first court appearance, police said.

