Two-Alarm Fire Engulfs High Street House

There were no injuries in a two-alarm High Street house fire early Saturday morning, Montclair Acting Fire Chief Thomas Diveny said.

The fire, which broke out at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, was caused by an electrical short circuit in the porch area of the home, according to the Montclair Fire Investigation Team’s initial report.

The porch area was engulfed in flames with the fire extending up the walls into the interior of the home when firefighters first arrived on the scene, Diveny said. The fire was extinguished in about 20 minutes, but firefighters remained on the scene for several hours to knock down pockets of the fire in the walls from the basement to the attic, Diveny said.

The fire was “extremely hot,” causing extensive heat damage throughout the house, which was unoccupied at the time of the blaze, Diveny said.

West Orange, Bloomfield and Cedar Grove provided mutual aid at the fire scene. The East Orange, Clifton and Orange fire departments as well as a Montclair Reserve Engine provided coverage for the township during the fire.