HERO DOG SAVES FAMILY MEMBERS' LIVES BEFORE BEING OVERCOME BY HOUSE FIRE
 
HAMMONTON -- Nine people escaped a burning home on Pleasant Mills Road after a barking pit bull alerted them to the blaze, authorities said.






The dog died in the blaze, but none of the home's occupants were injured, said Detective John Panarello of the Hammonton Police Department.

The blaze broke out at about 4:30 a.m. July 31 in the rear of the ranch-style home in the 200 block of Pleasant Mills Road, authorities said.

The adults and children inside the rented house were sleeping, but they woke up when they heard the dog barking.

When they went to check on the animal, they realized the house was engulfed in flames.

As the occupants fled the home, a newspaper delivery person who happened to be in the area noticed the flames and called 9-1-1, authorities said.

"This really could have been a tragedy if the dog didn't do what it did," said Dennis LaSassa, assistant chief of the Hammonton Fire Department.

When firefighters arrived, flames were shooting out of the rear of the home and there was considerable smoke, LaSassa said.

It took firefighters from Hammonton, Elwood, Collings Lakes and Nesco about 45 minutes to get the blaze under control.

They found the dog dead in a front bedroom, LaSassa said.

The home was equipped with smoke detectors, and they were activated by the blaze.

"I don't know if they didn't hear them go off. They did hear the dog bark, though," LaSassa said.

Authorities have not determined what caused the blaze.

Much of the home was destroyed, though the residents were able to salvage some belongings that were in the home's bedrooms, LaSassa said.

Efforts to locate the home's occupants were unsuccessful.

The Winslow Township Fire Department provided cover at Hammonton fire stations while their crews battled the blaze, LaSassa said.


 

Collings Lakes Fire Dept responded to a reported fire alarm at the 45 block of Park Ave . When engine 232 arrived they reported working fire - A side of the building. 232 will be in service with 1 3/4 line.

A special thanks to Battelini Transportation for their help in moving this storage shed to another part of the fire department property making room for the scheduled building project.   Albert and Anthony Battelini, shown here, move the shed. Battelini Transportation is always willing to lend a helping hand with community events. 

Folsom, NJ . Black Horse Pike in the area of 14th St.

Station 23  was dispatched out around 6:48pm with calls from passing motorist that there was a motor vehicle accident with downed wires.

Upon arrival, 2300 updated that there were no wires down, the vehicle struck the metal safety wire that is attached to the pole and missed the pole by inches. The vehicle was approximately 10-15 feet into the thick woods, The wires on the vehicles battery were cut and the vehicle was checked to make sure there were no other patients and everything else was safe. The driver was treated by Squad 23 with minor cuts and scrapes from glass and brush, The driver was transported to Atlantic care Hammonton for treatment.

Motorcyclist looses leg in Buena Vista Crash

BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP - A 22-year-old Philadelphia man lost a leg in a motorcycle crash Tuesday evening, The operator  was traveling north on Cains Mill Road   south of Lake George Drive when he left the roadway on the east side, police said.

Operator hit several trees and mailboxes alongside the road, police said, suffering multiple serious injuries to his legs and feet.

Police were called at 5:48 p.m., The victim was alert and conscious when they arrived. A medical helicopter transported Victim to Cooper University Hospital in Camden.

The road was closed for several hours as police investigated the accident,. State Police are still investigating..

On Thursday May 20,2010 Collings Lakes Wawa celebrated its 40th Anniversary offering customers coffee,cake and donuts all day. Also they honored Our own Dave Smarra (our Santa) for his years of service.  Also present were members of the Fire Dept..President Pat Donnelly presented Wawa with a plaque thanking them for their community support ,Wawa supplies the Fire Depts. with beverages during fires in the community ..below see several of our members who were present..
   Note: If you click on Daves picture it will take you to " Full Story" which has more pictures of our members

HAMMONTON - Hammonton police expect to release more information today in connection with a fire that killed an elderly woman in her home on Thursday.

Firefighters were called to the 600 block of Fairview Avenue at 6:50 p.m., said Police Chief Frank Ingemi. The victim, the mother of homeowner Cathie Scibilia, died in the fire, he said.

Investigators at the scene describe the victim as a 90-year-old, bed-ridden woman. They say the family has lived in the home for a very long time.

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People at the scene Friday think the woman's oxygen tanks fueled those explosions.

Neighbors said they were surprised by how quickly the fire spread through the house.

."You don't believe how fast it went," said John LaMazza, 75, who lives across the street from the fire scene.

Fire investigators, along with the Atlantic City Prosecutor's Office forensic crime scene unit, were still on the scene this morning collecting information. Investigators could be seen inside the house near a side window, from which smoke and flames apparently spilled out and blackened part of the brick work.

Buena Vista twp, NJ. Jackson Rd near Cains Mill road-

Station 23 was called out around 7:15 pm with reports of a motor vehicle accident on jackson road near cains mill rd, upon arrival 2300 reported that it was entraptment and the jaws of life were to going to be needed. The jaws were placed in affect to extricate the victim that was heavily trapped after striking a tree and wire fence head on. SouthStar was called with an ETA of 15 minutes, Newtonville station 12-6 was requested for the LZ. After the victim was transported VIA Helicopter to Cooper trauma center, all crews were released by State Police so their investigation could be executed.

On the morning of March 14, 2010 around six a.m. Station 12-6 and Station 23  responded to an MVC located at Route 54 and Leghorn Rd. Rescue 23 and Squad 23-8 also responded.  The driver of the vehicle had self extricated and was with NJ State Police when responding units arrived.  Engine 12-66 provided lighting until being released

3-11-2010, Dwelling, Monroe Twp. (Cecil) 731 Lebanon Ave.

Stations 29-5 and 29-1, 2 BLS from Squad 29-9, and Life Support 2 were dispatched to 731 Lebanon for a dwelling fire with report of of people trapped. Monroe PD first on location confirming a fully engulfed mobile home. Shortly thereafter it was confirmed that there was no entrapment. ALS and Helo were recalled. 29-101 arrived and the orders were for the first due to lay in from the street. Engine 2911 arrived and went into service with a 2 1/2" line. Tanker 2954 was second in and supplied 2911. Crews from the tanker manned a second 1 3/4" handline and went in service. Covers were dispatched and a special call to Atlantic County Tanker 23 from Collings Lakes was made due to no hydrants in the area. Both crews made an aggressive exterior attack on the fire and the job was quickly knocked down. Additional crews from the manpower pool went in service with pike poles, tearing down walls to gain access to hotspots. The job was placed under control and all but the first and second due and tanker 23 was recalled. Local and County Fire Marshall's were requested.