By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – Firefighters from the Millstone Township Fire Company extinguished a fire that spread to two sides of a residential neighborhood.
According to a press release from the fire company, firefighters and Millstone Township First Aid Squad responders were dispatched to a property on Rising Sun Tavern Road for a reported tractor fire at 2:26 p.m. Dec. 4.
Fire Commissioner Dave Markunas said Lt. Alan South was in charge of the incident.
Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters found a zero turn lawn mower on fire, according to the press release. The fire extended to the property’s fence and fuel from the lawn mower had spread into a drain pipe that ran under the road, causing the fire to spread to the other side of the road.
Firefighters extinguished the fire on both sides of the road, according to the press release. The driver of the lawn mower was evaluated by first aid personnel and declined to be transported to a hospital, according to Markunas.
The fire was investigated by the Millstone Township Fire Bureau, according to the press release. The New Jersey State Police and the New Jersey State Forest Service were also at the scene.
According to Markunas, the fire was caused by operator error, the mower being in a ditch and debris under the mower’s deck catching on fire.