FIRE GUTS PARKWAY RESTAURANTS

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Sunday, February 24, 1991

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A03

A predawn fire destroyed the two restaurants at the Garden State Parkway’s Montvale service area Saturday and forced the closure of the southbound lanes for five hours as firefighters ran a hose across the road.
Only the walls of the building that housed the Roy Rogers and Bob’s Big Boy restaurants remained standing.
Trooper Peter Kempe said water pressure in the fire hydrants at the service area was so low that state police had to close the southbound lanes so a fire hose could be run across the roadway to a hydrant at an office building.
But Montvale Fire Chief Jerry Dellabella said the hose was run because “with the number of equipment operating, we needed more water. “
About 80 firefighters from Montvale, Park Ridge, and Woodcliff Lake, with support services from the Teaneck Fire Department, combined to combat the fire, Dellabella said. The first call came into the station at 1:29 a.m., about 25 minutes after the restaurants manager first saw smoke, he said.
“We had no difficulty getting to the fire,” Dellabella said. “The biggest thing that hampered us was the high winds. It just fans the fire. It just blew the fire right through the building. . . . When the call came through, the fire [had] already broken through the roof. The building was totally involved. “
Investigators ruled that the fire was accidental and that the cause was probably electrical, Dellabella said.
State Trooper John Soto, in his report on the fire, said Fritzner Demoin, the restaurants night manager, noticed smoke inside Roy Rogers about 1 a.m. A customer informed Demoin about the same time that smoke was coming from the roof. Demoin checked, then ordered all customers out of both the restaurants, Soto said.
It was unknown how many patrons were evacuated.

Keywords: FIRE; RESTAURANT; MONTVALE

Caption: 3 PHOTOS – JOHN DECKER / THE RECORD 1, 2 & 3 – Above and at left, firefighters attacking a blaze that was fanned by high winds early Saturday at the Garden State Parkway’s Montvale service area. Two restaurants were destroyed by the fire.

FIRE EMPTIES SCHOOL

MICHAEL O. ALLEN | Friday, February 22, 1991

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page A03

Twice-a-month fire drills at Harry L. Bain Elementary School paid off Thursday when an early morning fire in a storage room forced the evacuation of more than 800 students from the K-8 school at Broadway and 62nd Street.
No one was injured in the fire, and it was brought under control in about 15 minutes, said Principal Donald Rocker.
Much to the delight of the students, classes were disrupted for about two hours. During that time, the children played in the West New York Community Center on Hudson Street, two blocks from the school.
The cause of the fire, which destroyed desks as well as the walls of the storage room, is under investigation, said Deputy Fire Chief John Gannon.

Keywords: WEST NEW YORK; SCHOOL; FIRE

Caption: 2 PHOTOS – STEVE HOCKSTEIN / THE RECORD 1 – The West New York Community Center, above, where students were bused after a fire broke out at the Harry L. Bain School early Thursday. 2 – A sign on the school door, below, explained where the children were.

OAKLAND MAN KILLED AS FIRE ENGULFS HOME

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Friday, October 5, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B01

A predawn fire Thursday killed an Oakland man and destroyed a home he shared with a companion, who neighbors said was away on business.

Preliminary findings indicated the fire that killed John Casey, 59, and engulfed the house at 18 Mohawk Ave. was accidental, Bergen County Prosecutor John J. Fahy said.

Fahy said the fire apparently started in the first-floor living room of the 1 1/2-story house. Casey was found dead in the foyer near the front door, Fahy said.

“Our theory is that he fell asleep in a chair while smoking, and the chair caught fire,” Fahy said. “The whole living room of the house collapsed into the basement. We believe that he tried to get out of the house, but was overcome by smoke and collapsed.”

Fahy said neighbors reported the fire at about 5:34 a.m.

Ann Chiusano of 16 Mohawk Ave. said she woke to a loud popping sound and looked out and saw the fire next door. Chiusano said Ruth Natale, who owns the home, was in Florida and is due back Saturday.

Cornelius Klepper, whose home at 19 Mohawk Ave. is directly across the street, said he heard his dog barking.

“I looked out of my bedroom window, and I saw the flames shooting up 30, 40 feet in the air,” he said.

Klepper said he saw Casey on Monday when he came into the Oakland Wine and Liquor Store, which Klepper owns, and gave him the lottery numbers he wanted for Monday and Thursday.

“It was the last time I saw him,” Klepper said. “It’s a funny thing, because I didn’t even think he was home. I thought he was with her. I think Ruthie works for a travel agency, and she was gone quite a bit. See, John, he won’t fly. So if Ruthie flies, he won’t go.”

Caption: COLOR PHOTO – STEVE HOCKSTEIN / THE RECORD – Firefighters removing the body of John Casey, who died in a fire that destroyed a home on Mohawk Avenue in Oakland early Thursday morning. Neighbors said that the owner of the house was away on a business trip.

DRIVER PULLED FROM WRECK, THEN CHARGED

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Sunday, September 30, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A07

A 33-year-old borough woman whose car hit a parked car early Saturday morning and burst into flames was pulled from the wreck by a policeman and a firefighter, authorities said.

Sandra L. Slockett of Center Avenue was rescued at about 1:30 a.m. by firefighter Albert Van Houten Jr. and Patrolman Michael Smith.

“When we got to the car, it was totally involved, and the driver was trapped in the vehicle,” said Midland Park Fire Chief Albert Van Houten Sr.

“Another 30 seconds, and it would have been too late. “

Van Houten said his son and Smith grabbed the door of the car, forced it open, and rescued Slockett, whom the chief described as semiconscious.

He said the accident occurred at 66 Bank St., a few doors from his home.

Slockett had been driving west on the street when the accident occurred, the chief said. He and his son left their house and headed down the street when they heard the fire alarm.

Police charged Slockett with careless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, and driving with a suspended license.

A police spokesman said Slockett, who refused medical treatment when she was taken to The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood after the accident, told police she would return to the hospital later Saturday for treatment.