11:29 PM 11/12/2008 –  U/D NJ| MIDDLESEX| SOUTH BRUNSWICK| *2ND ALARM*| 902 S. RIDGEWOOD BLVD| EAST BRUNSWICK DIST#3 M/A TO THE SCENE AND ENGINE FOR F.A.S.T.| (C) BNN | NEWSDESK/NJC575/NJC757

Fire strikes South Brunswick apartment building

by Michael Ratcliffe/The Times http://www.nj.com

Thursday November 13, 2008, 1:04 AM

            SOUTH BRUNSWICK – Fire officials are currently investigating the cause of a two-alarm blaze that broke out in an apartment building late Wednesday night.

            The fire in Building 9 of the Southridge Woods complex – located on Southridge Woods Boulevard, off Northumberland Way – was reported sometime before 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

            Among the firefighters who responded to battle the blaze were crews from the Monmouth Junction, Kendall Park and Kingston fire companies.

            It is unclear at this time how many of the 24 units in the three-story building were damaged or if there were any injuries.

South Brunswick blaze began in utility closet, police say

by Michael Ratcliffe/The Times, http://www.nj.com

Friday November 14, 2008, 7:43 PM

            SOUTH BRUNSWICK -- The Wednesday night fire at the Southridge Woods apartment complex damaged one of the 24 units in Building 9 but injured no one, according to police.

            While the cause of the blaze remains under investigation by township Deputy Fire Marshal John Funcheon, authorities know it started in the utility closet of the apartment. Housed in the closet were the apartment's furnace and hot water heater.

            Firefighters, alerted to the blaze on Southridge Woods Boulevard at 11:20 p.m. Wednesday, arrived to find the apartment and a common hallway outside it filled with smoke. Firefighters and police quickly evacuated the entire building.

            Police said the building's automatic sprinkler system held the flames in check until firefighters were able to completely extinguishing the blaze.

            About 50 firefighters from the township's Monmouth Junction, Kingston, and Kendall Park fire companies and East Brunswick's Brookview Fire Co. responded.

            Residents of the damaged apartment were relocated to a hotel by the American Red Cross, while the occupants of the other units in Building 9 were allowed to return to their homes after firefighters' fans cleared out all the smoke and fumes, police said.

No injuries reported in apartment fire

            SOUTH BRUNSWICK - A fire late Wednesday at the Southridge Woods apartment complex damaged one of the 24 units in Building 9 but injured no one, police said.

            While the cause of the blaze remains under investigation by township Deputy Fire Marshal John Funcheon, authorities know it started in the utility closet of the apartment. Housed in the closet were the apartment's furnace and hot water heater.

            Firefighters, alerted to the blaze at 11:20 p.m. Wednesday, arrived to find the apartment and a common hallway outside filled with smoke. Firefighters and police quickly evacuated the building.

            Police said the building's automatic sprinkler system held the flames in check until firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze. About 50 firefighters from the township's Monmouth Junction, Kingston, and Kendall Park fire companies and East Brunswick's Brookview Fire Co. responded.

            Residents of the damaged apartment were relocated to a hotel by the American Red Cross, while the occupants of the other units in Building 9 were allowed to return to their homes after firefighters' fans cleared out all the smoke and fumes, police said.

South Brunswick Post

Thursday, November 20, 2008

POLICE BLOTTER

            A fire broke out in a building in the South Ridge Woods apartment complex in Monmouth Junction at 11:20 p.m. Nov. 12.

            No one was injured in the blaze.

            Approximately 50 firefighters from all three of the township’s fire companies arrived at 902 South Ridge Woods Blvd. to extinguish a blaze that started in a utility closet of one of the apartments, fire officials said.

            Deputy Fire Marshal John Funcheon said the fire was caused by residents storing items too close to a furnace and water heater.

            The sprinkler system inside the building brought the blaze under control, and firefighters finished extinguishing it, according to a release.

            Residents of two of the building’s apartments were unable to return to their units after the blaze was extinguished due to water and fire damage. Hotel arrangements were made for them by the Red Cross.

North Brunswick-South Brunswick Sentinel

November 20, 2008

Improper storage causes apartment fire in S.B.

BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer

            SOUTH BRUNSWICK — A local fire deputy has determined that improperly stored combustible items were the cause of a recent fire at a township apartment.

            Firefighters were able to extinguish what was left of the fire, which occurred in the town's Monmouth Junction section at 11:20 p.m. Nov. 12.

            Residents of an apartment located at 902 Southridge Woods Boulevard were not harmed in the incident. Fire damage was limited to a utility closet with minor smoke and water damage inside of the apartment.

            Deputy Fire Marshal John Funcheon, of the South Brunswick Township Fire Safety Bureau, completed his investigation soon after the incident. He found several items, including pillows and suitcases, were improperly stored in a utility closet where a furnace and a water heater are located. A 3-foot clearance is necessary for the safe storage of such items, Funcheon said.

            Firefighters arrived at the scene to find a heavy smoke condition in the apartment and the common hallway. The Monmouth Junction Volunteer Fire Department, under the command of Fire Chief Brian Spahr, found that the building's sprinkler system had the fire under control.

            Roughly 50 firefighters responded to the scene, including firefighters from the Kingston Volunteer Fire Company, the Kendall Park Volunteer Fire Department, and the Brookview Volunteer Fire Company in East Brunswick. The Monmouth Junction Volunteer First Aid Squad was also dispatched to the scene as a precautionary measure.

            No injuries occurred, and the Red Cross provided hotel arrangements for the residents of the apartment that was damaged. All other residents were allowed to occupy their apartments and the scene was cleared by 2:30 a.m.

2008 SOUTH BRUNSWICK POLICE DEPARTMENT

OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE

            ________________________________________________________________________                                                                                               

            FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                                                         Sergeant James J. Stoddard, Public Information Officer                                         November 13, 2008

            (732) 329-4000 ext. 7479

The Monmouth Junction Fire Department was dispatched to 902 South Ridge Woods Blvd. for a working fire inside the apartment at 11:20 pm on Wednesday November 12th.

Upon arrival, firefighters under the command of Monmouth Junction Fire Chief Brian Spahr, discovered a heavy smoke condition in the apartment and common hallway and located a fire in the apartment's utility closet which contained the furnace and water heater.

The fire was brought under control by the building's sprinkler system and was completely extinguished by firefighters. Fire damage was limited to the utility closet with minor smoke and water damage inside the apartment.

Approximately 50 firefighters responded to the scene of the 1-Alarm Fire. The Monmouth Junction Fire Dept., Kingston Fire Company, Kendall Park Fire Company, and East Brunswick's Brookview Fire Company responded, along with the Monmouth Junction First Aid Squad.

There were no injuries, and hotel arrangements were provided to the residents of the apartment by the Red Cross. All other residents were allowed to re-occupy their apartments.