Quick Attack by Hawthorne Fire Department Halts Second-Floor House Fire in 20 Minutes

Hawthorne, NJ - Firefighters from the Hawthorne Fire Department rapidly suppressed a residential structure fire Friday night on East Prospect, stopping flames that were traveling through an interior wall cavity into the attic.

Emergency units were dispatched shortly after 9:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16, 2026 (with details released Saturday, October 17), for a reported dwelling fire on East Prospect.

Chief 50 was the first command officer to arrive on the fireground, confirming an active fire burning within a second-floor wall that was extending upward into the attic space. A "working fire" assignment was transmitted immediately to initiate full structural response protocols.

Incoming engine companies stretched an 1 3/4-inch attack handline to the second floor to open up the walls and attack the seat of the fire. Truck and rescue crews simultaneously threw ground ladders for exterior access and secondary egress while conducting primary searches throughout the home to verify all occupants were safely accounted for.

Through coordinated ventilation, wall-opening, and aggressive water application, operating personnel halted the upward spread and successfully knocked down the main body of fire within 20 minutes of arrival. No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported, and crews completed overhaul operations to confirm no hidden embers remained in the attic rafters.