Special Investigation: Structure Fire Incident #2021-2886 In West Windsor

Press release from the West Windsor Police Department:

January 30, 2021

WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT
20 Municipal Drive P.O. Box 38
West Windsor, New Jersey 08550

Robert Garofalo Ph(D)c Chief of Police

Records Fax (609) 799-6338 * Fax (609) 897-9010
Fax (609) 799-6515 * Dispatch Fax (609) 799-3516

PRESS INFORMATION

INCIDENT: 2021-2886 *Special Investigation* Structure Fire

DATE/TIME OCCURRED: 1/29/2020 at 10:46 am

LOCATION OCCURRED: Colonnade Pointe Development

OTHERS INVOLVED: 1) WWPD Patrol, Traffic, & Detective Units
2) West Windsor Div. of Fire & Emergency Services
3) West Windsor Vol. Fire Company Station #43
4) Princeton Jct. Vol. Fire Company Station #44

INVESTIGATING OFFICER: Traffic Sgt. F. Bal #467

DETAILS: On Friday January 29, 2021 at 10:46 am, Stations #43 & #44, WWDFES, and Patrol/Traffic Units were detailed to a first floor unit (one of twelve within the three story residential condiminium building) in Colonnade Pointe on a report of smoke & fire alarms activated from Unit #1. The first on scene was a WWPD Patrol Officer (identity witheld) who observed smoke emanating from under the front door. He banged on the door and received no response. He went to the outside, scaled a small fence at the rear of the unit, and began banging on the rear sliding glass door. Although nobody answered, he heard faint sounds of voices from inside. He returned to the front door and once again banged on the door with no response from inside. He forced entry into the unit by kicking in the front door and began crawling along the floor due to the heavy smoke condition. He continued to the aforementioned sliding glass door and opened it to vent the thick, choking smoke. He was able to check every room of the unit and confirm that nobody was still inside.

WWDFES, Stations #43 & #44 arrived and took over the scene. The fire was contained and extinguished. The initial investigation revealed that the fire was not suspicious and started from an unattended candle. Due to the quick response, no other units had to be evacuated/displaced. The voices were later determined to be coming from an adjacent unit in the building where the occupants had not evacuated.

It should be noted that the WWPD Patrol Officer sustained smoke inhalation and was transported to the Penn Medicine Center at Princeton by WWDFES. The Officer was later released from the hospital. No other injuries were reported to either first responders or residents of the 12 Unit-3 Story Condiminium Buidling.

OFFICER PREPARING RELEASE: Det. Lt. Lee #359

DATE OF RELEASE: 1/30/2021

This press release was produced by the West Windsor Police Department. The views expressed here are the author’s o...