WESTFALL TWP., PA - Westfall Township Volunteer Fire Department was alerted to a barn fire at 270 Cummins Hill Road on Monday, August 15th. The call for help came in from the homeowner just after noon.

Spoken with on-scene, the homeowner said he first tried to extinguish the blaze himself, but quickly realized he needed help. “It was old wood and was spreading really fast,” he said.

According to WTVFD Chief Fred Jacobs, the department’s Engine 1 and Car 1 arrived at the same time. Upon their prompt arrival, they found a 20x20 abandoned barn well-involved. Due to extremely dry conditions and the fire being on steep, winding Cummins Hill and away from water sources, command promptly requested three additional tankers.

“The first crews stretched a two-and-a-half inch line and knocked the bulk of the fire down,” Jacobs said. “Additional crews stretched another line to assist with overhaul. All units operated for just over an hour.”

Jacobs expressed gratitude to the department’s Mutual Aid responders from the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania Tri-State region. The region had been experiencing severe drought conditions and very hot temperatures over the past weeks, causing additional concern about the rural dry, wooded location of the barn.

Responding from Pennsylvania were: Dingman Township Vol. Fire Department, Milford Fire Department & EMS Station 33, and Matamoras Fire Department. Responding from New York State were Port Jervis Fire Department, Huguenot Fire Co., and Sparrowbush Engine Co. Responding from New Jersey was Montague Vol. Fire Department.