House Fire Caused by Crossed Power and Telephone Lines

A fire that damaged an unoccupied home on Linden Avenue late Saturday morning was apparently sparked when a power line being repaired by PSE&G apparently crossed with a telephone and cable line, and energized that line, Englewood Fire Chief Gerald Marion said on Saturday afternoon.

No one was injured in the blaze, which was reported at about 11 a.m. and was put down after about an hour, Marion said.

But even after the fire was initially thought to be extinguished, the firefighters found sparks continue to arc — and discovered that more than one set of wires had crossed, Marion said.

Marion said the fire initially was reported by Verizon workers in the area who apparently thought that they too had put out the fire.

Firefighters initially realized that a pole that had fallen behind the home was a source of crossed wires. He said that telephone and cable wires can catch fire if energized by an electrical wire because they are not meant to carry that amount of current. He said the fire began when PSEG, working about a half mile away, had restored power to the area and energized the power line.

Marion said PSEG workers had to return to the scene and then shut off the line again.

Marion said he had not heard of similar fires on Saturday, but burning caused by the crossing of utility wires "is not unheard of."

He said a generator in the home further complicated the situation because it kicked on after the fire was doused a second time.

A portion of the home that included a large walk-in closet and a bathroom was damaged, and other parts of the house sustained smoke damage, Marion said. He said the exterior of a neighboring home suffered some damage as well.

Englewood firefighters responded to the scene along with departments from Hackensack, Teaneck, Tenafly and Bergenfield, Marion said.

While those fire departments were occupied, Marion said the rest of Englewood was covered by firefighting organizations from Bogota, Leonia and Ridgefield Park.

Marion complimented firefighters for their handling of the fire and seeking out the cause of the initial blaze, and its re-ignition.

A fire dispatcher said that even after 3 p.m. that firefighters remained at the scene, although the fire itself had already been extinguished.