Chief Emphasizes Need for Accessible Hydrants Following Recent House Fire

A fire in the room of a third floor apartment building at 49 Wetmore Ave. Wednesday night caused significant fire and heat damage to that room, smoke and water damage to the rest of the apartment, and some water damage in the apartment below.

No one was injured, said Morristown Fire Chief Gary Desjadon.

The fire was under control by 12:30 a.m. Thursday, about 20 minutes after fire crews had arrived, Desjadon said. He referred to the cause of fire as a careless use of matches.

Desjadon wanted to remind residents that, "as snow piles, make sure to keep a nice clean area around fire hydrants and the paths to homes. You never know if you need a first responder to get to your home," the fire chief said.

Desjadon said in the case of the Wetmore Avenue fire, the fire hydrants were clear of any snow or ice, allowing crews easy access.

Clear hydrants and paths to the house are not just important for the fire department, but for all emergency services, he said. "Keep in mind, you never know if you may need a ambulance or stretcher," Desjadon said, asking people to use the size of a medical stretcher as a rule of thumb when determining how much snow to remove in order to provide a clear path to the house.