AVALON – Avalon and Stone Harbor fire crews were called to a structure fire at the Cambridge Greene Condominium complex, 300 79th Street, Avalon at approximately 9:15 p.m. Aug. 5.
According to a release, both the Avalon Volunteer Fire Department and Stone Harbor Volunteer Fire Company had crews in their stations at the time the alarm and were on scene in under five minutes. The fire was brought under control prior to fire crews’ arrival by a tenant who used a portable fire extinguisher to knock down the fire
Fire Chief Ed Dean stated, “The occupant’s quick thinking and action most likely saved the unit and the condominium complex from significant fire, smoke, and water damage.”
The occupant, Dan Nolan of Haddonfield, leased the unit for the week and had returned from an outing with his family shortly before the fire broke out.
He stated that they were in the living area when they smelled smoke and investigated the source. When he got to the top of the stairs, he saw light smoke coming from the hall bathroom and then flames in the bathroom exhaust fan.
He had his family call 9-1-1 and used a portable fire extinguisher that was stored in a closet adjacent to the bathroom, to extinguish the flames.
Nolan received minor injuries from burning debris falling from the ceiling mounted fan.
The investigation revealed that the fire started in a steel fan box. It was reportedly moments from breaking out of the box in the ceiling and causing more damage.
Dean noted that when bathroom exhaust fans seize it does not take long for the motors to heat to very high temperatures. He said that exhaust fans should be maintained in working condition and that noisy or non-working fans should be repaired or immediately replaced.
There was minor damage to the building’s two units.
The Avalon Fire Department was assisted on the call by the Stone Harbor Volunteer Fire Company and EMS and the Ocean View Volunteer Fire Company on automatic dispatch, and Avalon EMS. There were no other injuries reported.
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