Flames Tear Through 80-Foot Barn: Firefighters Mount Heavy Attack to Protect Exposures

W Amwell, NJ - First responders faced a demanding sequence of emergency calls that culminated in a major, multi-agency response to a heavy agricultural fire.

The early action began for the West Amwell Fire Company (Station 26) when Quint 26 was dispatched at 7:39 AM on Fire Box 4704 for a reported outbuilding fire. First-arriving Engine 47 knocked down the initial fire within minutes, holding the scene alongside Engine 17 and allowing Quint 26 to quickly return to service.

Activity spiked again during the afternoon of September 9, when Quint 26 and Engine 26 were dispatched at 1:38 PM (13:38 hrs) on Fire Box 4826 for a working structure fire in Hunterdon County. Chief 26 (Ent) arrived on scene within minutes, confirmed a heavy, active blaze engulfing a 30-by-80-foot barn, and imediately established command as incoming apparatus arrived.

Arriving crews deployed aggressive suppression and containment tactics to keep the intense fire from extending further. Engine 48 initiated critical exposure protection to safeguard nearby assets, while Quint 26, under the direction of Battalion Chief Fozman, positioned directly in the roadway to direct elevated master streams into the heart of the structure. Engine 26 established the primary supply line to feed Quint 26 with continuous, high-volume water.

Firefighters from West Amwell, Delaware Township Fire Company, Amwell Valley Fire Company, and several assisting mutual aid departments operatd on scene for four and a half hours, tearing into deep-seated pockets of fire and dense agricultural fuel before fully placing the incident under control.