Basement Electrical Fire Damages Fair Haven Mansion: Cops

FAIR HAVEN, NJ - A basement fire at a two-story Colonial in Fair Haven on Wednesday quickly turned into a two-alarm blaze that damaged the historic home, authorities said.

Fair Haven Police Chief Joseph McGovern told Patch that the fire, which appeared to be due to an electrical issue in the basement, was reported at around 3:10 p.m. on Wednesday. The two-story Colonial built in 1903 sustained “significant” smoke and water damage, McGovern said.

No one was inside the residence at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. The fire was extinguished by 4:30 p.m.

The Fair Haven Fire Department described the blaze as an “active fire within the walls, working its way up the floors into the attic” in a Wednesday social media post. The department first responded to a report of smoke coming from the structure.

The incident quickly became a mutual aid effort after the fire’s escalation prompted the chief to transmit a second alarm, ushering in units from Red Bank, Little Silver, Rumson and Sea Bright.

“Tinton Falls provided a RIT team, while River Plaza and Brevent Park covered Fair Haven, in case of another fire call,” the fire department wrote. “Little Silver EMS assisted our First Aid Squad. All teams worked to extinguish the fire and save the home. Thank you to all those that responded!”

The twitter account for CentralJerseyFire alerted locals to the fire at 3:26 p.m., detailing a “fire in a large residential” building at 45 Haddon Park. The account described “smoke pushing from the eaves” before a fire in the attic was reported.

River Road was closed for a period of time between Harrison and Lincoln Avenue during the incident, per The Journal NJ. According to a Red Bank Green report, a contractor working outside the home initially smelled smoke and called in the emergency.