At 9:29 p.m. on Thursday evening, New Castle County 911 dispatchers received several calls regarding a house fire in the 400 block of New London Road in Newark. The incident prompted a swift response from the Aetna Hose, Hook & Ladder Company, along with several neighboring fire departments, to address the working residential structure fire in the development of Fairfield Crest.
Upon arrival, fire department personnel were reported flames visible on the second floor at the rear of the house. Recognizing the severity of the situation, additional fire companies were dispatched to provide support and assistance. As a safety measure, the Newark Police Department promptly closed New London Road, shutting off access between Fremont Road and Cambridge Drive to facilitate firefighting operations.
Approximately seven minutes after the initial engine arrived on the scene, a distress call, commonly known as a “mayday,” was issued for a firefighter from the Aetna Hose, Hook & Ladder Company. The firefighter’s leg had gone through the floor in a second-floor bedroom. Nearby personnel rushed to the firefighter’s aid. The New Castle County Paramedics evaluated the firefighter on-site and determined that they were uninjured.
The incident was declared under control at 10:04 p.m., with the combined efforts of the responding fire departments successfully extinguishing the blaze. The quick work of the firefights prevented the fire from spreading further and causing additional damage to nearby properties.
The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office is conduction an investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire.