Homeowner rescued from roof during house fire in Hunterdon County
Police and firefighters assisted the resident after smoke filled the Flemington-area home.
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A homeowner was rescued from the roof of a residence Saturday morning after a fire filled the home with smoke and blocked access to the stairs, according to the Raritan Township Police Department.
Police said officers responded at about 7:15 a.m. to Pennsylvania Avenue in the Flemington area for a report of a structure fire. The first officers on scene found the home's sole occupant standing on the roof.
According to police, officers initially attempted to use their patrol vehicles to help the homeowner get down but were unsuccessful. An officer then got a ladder from the home's garage, allowing officers to safely bring the homeowner off the roof.
The homeowner was not injured and told responders she went onto the roof because smoke inside the residence made it impossible to walk down the stairs, police said.
The Raritan Township Fire Department responded and located flames in the basement, which firefighters extinguished.
A preliminary investigation by Raritan Township Fire Marshals found the fire likely began as the result of an external electrical incident that fed back into the residence through a power line, according to police.
