7 Rescued From Apartment Fire In Morris County

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — Three Morris County firefighters were hospitalized and seven other individuals, including a child, were rescued from a building fire in Boonton late Saturday night, authorities said.

The three-alarm fire broke out around 11:15 p.m. in a mixed-use building at 121 Mechanic St. in Boonton, according to officials. The two-story building has a machine shop on the first floor and apartments on the second.

The fire caused no injuries to the residents, but it required the attention of more than 100 firefighters and took more than two hours to fully extinguish.

According to a Facebook post made by Boonton police on Sunday morning, four dogs were also rescued from the building.

The three injured firefighters were taken to local hospitals. "All have trauma-related injuries that are not life-threatening or are serious in nature," police said.

According to Boonton Police Captain Christopher Petonak, when fire officials arrived on the scene, residents on the second floor were attempting to exit the building out of the two front windows but were unsuccessful.

Using ladders, the firefighters were able to rescue the seven people, including a child, from the windows.

"Simultaneously, the fire department ascended the staircase with a hose line and began an interior attack on the fire. Those stairs collapsed and a ground ladder was secured there for their egress," Petonak said.

The fire remains under investigation, and the cause and origin of the fire are currently unknown. Authorities said the Red Cross was helping the displaced families find places to stay.

Boonton authorities said they were assisted by the Boonton Township, Parsippany, Montville, Mountain Lakes, Denville, Whippany and Morris Plains fire departments; the Boonton, Par-Troy and Atlantic EMS squads; the Boonton Ladies Auxiliary; and Morris County Emergency Management and Fire Coordinators.