Story by: Mike Ratcliffe

LAWRENCE TWP (MERCER)--A roofing contractor's torch was blamed for sparking a raging fire that heavily damaged the house at 4 Allegheny Avenue in Lawrence Township, Mercer County, on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. Authorities said the contractor was using the torch to heat up material to seal a vent near the peak of the two-story home's roof when he accidentally ignited insulation in the attic. The man reportedly tried to fight the fire on his own using a portable extinguisher and a garden hose for as much as 10 minutes before 911 was called shortly before 4 p.m. Heavy smoke was billowing from the roof when first-due firefighters arrived. Firefighters attempted an interior attack but their efforts were happered by limited access to the attic and Collyer's Mansion-like conditions on the second floor. As interior conditions deteriorated, the incident commander, Slackwood Fire Co. Chief Robert Santello, ordered all personnel to evacuate the building. The blaze was brought under control within an hour by crews from the Slackwood (Station 21), Lawrence Road (Station 22), Lawrenceville (Station 23), Enterprise (Station 14-2), Pennington Road (Station 32) and West Trenton (Station 33) fire companies.