Shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Christmas, a call came in for visible fire at a residence at 104 Beechwood Dr., in the Packanack Lake section of Wayne, NJ.
Firefighters found the home fully involved. Initially, it was unconfirmed if the home had been occupied, but was later confirmed that the family had gone to visit relatives.
The fire was believed to have started from a bucket of ashes earlier brought outside from the homeowner's fireplace.
As firefighters worked to get the fire under control, neighbors brought out food and Christmas cookies, and thanked them for their service to the community.
Dozens of firefighters from from Wayne Fire Department Companies 1,2,3 and 5, as well as the Wayne First Aid Squad responded.
Units that responded: Companies 1,2,3, and 5
