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FAIRTON, NJ – What was initially dispatched as a trash fire became an 18 hour ordeal for this small rural community located in Fairfield Twp., Cumberland County and required the efforts of 33 fire companies from 3 counties to extinguish.

At 10:04 p.m., (12/22) the Fairton and Gouldtown fire companies were dispatched to Griner Tires at 570 Elmer Road. Rosenhayn Fire Chief Mark Cifaloglio, who happened to be visiting nearby, heard the dispatch and responded to the scene and found a large pile of tires burning. He immediately notified county dispatch and called for the county tanker task force. The fire was located about 800 feet to the rear of the property in a wooded area accessible only by a single dirt road.

Engine 1601 went to the fire location and a 5 inch supply line was laid to the road. Three portable tanks were set up and a water shuttle was initiated. E-1601 operated its deck gun on the flames until the arrival of Bridgeton’s 7 Truck which went into operation with an elevated master stream.

It was obvious that more water would be required to extinguish the hundreds of thousands of burning tires so the county’s large diameter task force was activated. Task force companies laid about 4500 feet of 5 inch hose to a pond and positioned pumpers in line about every 500 feet. This operation was performed simultaneously with the water shuttle. This dual operation had never been done in the county, according to Fire Coordinator John Laws, but it worked out well.

Once the supply line from the pond had been established, a second 5 inch line was laid from the road to apparatus at the tire pile.

Rain began to fall during the early morning hours and winds gusted to between 30 and 40 mph. The fire continued to burn and, at about 9:30 a.m., 9 more fire companies from Salem and Gloucester counties were requested.

Firefighters continued to battle the flames and were assisted with a large bulldozer and 2 large excavators which began to tear apart the pile of tires and move them away.

Joe Sever, Cumberland County OEM Coordinator, declared a fire emergency and had the county place an order to National Foam in West Chester, Pa. for Class A foam. Pallets of foam were delivered by tractor-trailer to the county office building where they were unloaded and transported to the fire scene by county trucks. Firefighters applied about 1500 gallons of the foam to extinguish the fire.

An estimated 250 emergency personnel responded to the fire according to County Deputy PIO Anthony Buono.

The fire was declared under control at 1:10 p.m. (12/23) and companies were dismissed at about 3:30 p.m. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Cumberland County companies responding were: Fairton, Gouldtown, Greenwich, Rosenhayn, Cedarville, Vineland Sta. 2, Millville, Bridgeton, Upper Deerfield stations 31, 32 and 33, Carmel, Hopewell-Stow Creek, Cumberland, Fortescue, Dividing Creek, Newport, Laurel Lake, Port Norris, Mauricetown, Heislerville and Leesburg.

Salem County companies were: Daretown, Woodstown, Elsinboro and Willow Grove.

Gloucester County companies were: Star Cross, Woolwich, Cecil, Ferrell and Ewan.

The Salvation Army responded to the scene and provided food and drinks.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service and County OEM also responded to the scene as did EMS units from Cedarville and Fairton.