Border Incident: Fully Involved Vehicle Fire on Route 17 Prompts Dual-Agency Turnout

Atlantic City, NJ - Firefighters from Waldwick and neighboring Ho-Ho-Kus teamed up Tuesday afternoon to rapidly suppress a fully involved vehicle fire along the Route 17 highway corridor.

On Tuesday afternoon, September 29, 2026, emergency dispatchers received multiple calls reporting an active vehicle fire on Route 17. Because the location fell along the municipal border between Waldwick and Ho-Ho-Kus, dispatch centers alerted both the Waldwick Volunteer Fire Department and the Ho-Ho-Kus Volunteer Fire Department to ensure the fastest possible response.

Arriving apparatus encountered a passenger vehicle with heavy fire tearing through the engine compartment and passenger cabin. Working in close coordination, engine crews stretched a handline and initiated an aggressive exterior attack, knocking down the body of fire and preventing burning fluids from spreading across travel lanes.

Department officials highlighted the seamless execution on scene, noting that ongoing joint training exercises between the two neighboring departments allow crews to integrate operations instantly during critical highway incidents. No injuries were reported, and the scene was secured before traffic lanes were reopened.