Bedridden Woman Carried To Safety In Metuchen House Fire

METUCHEN, NJ — Firefighters were able to rescue a bedridden woman from her home at 259 High Street Thursday after a fire started in the basement of the house, police said.

At about 3 p.m. Thursday, all units responded to the house after a report of a structure fire in progress, said Metuchen Police Lt. Wayne Karalevich.

When firefighters got to the house, they spoke to the homeowner who had fled the residence. He told them that his bedridden mother was still inside the home and was confined to a hospital bed, police said.

Officers quickly entered the house and carried the elderly women to safety on the mattress of her bed.

She was then treated by JFK EMS, police said.

Police also located two large exterior propane tanks near the rear door and decided to temporarily evacuate the neighboring homes.

Metuchen firefighters were able to extinguish the fire and utility services were turned off for the house. The family cannot return to the home as yet, police said.

The elderly woman went to an area hospital; her son is staying with one of their neighbors, police said.

The fire seemed to be focused in the basement and was nearing the rear door of the home, police said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to police