On August 7th, at approximately at 11am, the Rutherford police received a 911 call of a reported house fire at 233 Jackson Avenue.
A patrol car was dispatched, and the officer confirmed a working fire. Rutherford Chief Tom Verdino first on the scene reported to units coming in that he had a two story home under construction and had fire coming from the A, C, and, D side of the structure and immediately asked for a second alarm, and a fast team from Wallington. Then he asked for a third alarm and for mutual aid companies to stand by at Rutherford's fire houses.
Engines from Wallington, East Rutherford, Lyndhurst, North Arlington were sent to the scene as well as a rehab unit from Moonachie (and Rutherford ambulance). As crews made there way inside and trying to get hold of the fire the were order to back out as fire condition were worsening on the outside of the home lines were stretched to the C and D side for an exterior attack and to gain control of the fire once the fire was under control the chief order crews back into the home to finish knocking down the fire.
There were two occupants home at the time, a grandmother and her grandson, and both were in the basement when the fire started, but managed to escape without any injury.
Speaking with fire inspector Paul Dansbach the next day on the cause of the fire he stated that he could not comment on the cause or the origin of the fire. It was pending a police investigation.
