Fire crews battle roof fire at historic Atwood-Blauvelt Carriage House in Oradell
Local official indicate that the fire appears to be unsuspicious
Firefighters from several Bergen County departments scrambled to Kinderkamack Road on Tuesday to extinguish a blaze on the roof of a structure tied to one of the borough’s most historic properties.
The call came in at approximately 8:40 a.m. for a reported burning building at 705 Kinderkamack Road. The structure, an abandoned two-and-a-half-story wood-frame building, historically served as the carriage house for the adjacent Atwood-Blauvelt Mansion.
Oradell Fire Chief Terrance Moran said crews from Oradell, River Edge and Paramus arrived to find a fire burning on the roof of the carriage house. The Emerson Fire Department also provided standby assistance during the operation.
Firefighters were able to confine the flames entirely to the roof. Moran noted that the roof appeared to be covered with dried pine needles, which may have contributed to the blaze. While the fire did not spread to the building’s interior, the house did sustain some water damage during the firefighting efforts.
As a precaution, PSE&G was called to the scene to cut off both electric and natural gas service to the house.
Oradell Mayor James Koth, who is also a firefighter, responded to the scene and expressed his gratitude to the neighboring departments for their swift mutual aid.
The cause has been listed as undetermined, though Moran indicated the fire currently appears to be unsuspicious in nature.
The carriage house and the neighboring mansion are currently owned by Care One, a senior health care provider that operates a facility farther down Kinderkamack Road. The Atwood-Blauvelt Mansion is a well-known local landmark, making the quick containment of the fire a relief for local preservationists.
