A 66-year-old man was rescued from a burning house at a house on Elm Street in Hopewell Borough at 4:05 p.m. Thursday.
When Hopewell Township Police Officer John Ferner arrived, he saw flames and smoke coming from the back of the home. The Hopewell Fire Department, under the command of Chief Joseph Novak, quickly extinguished the fire, which was located in the kitchen.
A search of the residence found an unresponsive man, who lives in the home, on the second floor. The man, identified as Benjamin Primer III, 66, was carried from the home and taken to Capital Health Systems’ Hopewell campus by the Hopewell Fire Department Emergency Medical Unit.
While the investigation is ongoing, the fire appears to be accidental in nature. The home sustained fire damage in the kitchen and smoke damage throughout the home.
Responding agencies included Hopewell Valley Emergency Services and fire departments in Hopewell Borough, Pennington, Lawrenceville, Montgomery Company No. 2, Rocky Hill and Union (Titusville).
Investigators include personnel from the Hopewell Township Police Department, Hopewell Valley Emergency Services, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and the county fire marshal’s office.
