LOWER TOWNSHIP — A fire at 11:21 a.m. in a heavy-duty trash container at the Grand at Diamond Beach construction site here May 22 attracted neighbors and onlookers in the shadow of the rising 12-story resort complex and took some time to extinguish.
Warner Muller, Erma Volunteer Fire Company Chief, told the Herald the fire originated with an ember from a welder that was likely caught in the high winds of the late morning hours and ignited the fire in the bin on the north side of the construction site, at 9601 Atlantic Ave. near Jefferson Avenue.
It took some time to completely extinguish, he said, because the construction debris in the trash container was so tightly packed.
David Tabasco, project executive for Dick/Baumgardner, construction managers for the project, said the fire was extinguished at around 12:10 p.m.
“Workers in the area used fire extinguishers but with the high winds the fire would not extinguish,” he said.
The workers called 9-1-1 and the company’s emergency evacuation plan was put in place, in which all the workers evacuated the building at the sound of an evacuation horn, said Tabasco.
Erma Rescue and Wildwood Crest Volunteer Fire Company also responded to extinguish the blaze.
Muller said due to the Middle Thorofare bridge load limit being 15 tons, his company responds to Diamond Beach area fires with personnel, while Wildwood Crest responds with pumpers and heavy fire apparatus.
Contact Avedissian at (609) 886-8600 Ext 27 or at: savedissian@cmcherald.com.
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