NEWS

Fire at President's House at Centenary College

Staff report

HACKETTSTOWN – Firefighters battled a two alarm fire last night at Centenary College.

The call about a fire at at 401 Jefferson St. came in at about 4:40 p.m. Wednesday, according to Sgt. Darren Tynan, press information officer for the Hackettstown Police Department.

Officers arriving on the scene found smoke coming from the rear of the structure, which is owned by Centenary College and is used for multiple purposes, Tynan said. The building is known as the Centenary College President's House although the college's president does not live there on a full time basis.

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The fire proved particularly difficult to fight because of the bitter cold, which caused some equipment to freeze and forced police to close several roads in the area. One firefighter was taken to Hackettstown Regional Medical Center as a precaution. No other injuries were reported.

The college's Hackettstown campus was closed today as a result of the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Hackettstown Police Department Detective Bureau and the Warren County Fire Marshall.

Tynan said that "officials would like to thank the community for their support in donating beverages and food to the emergency responders that were on scene. Officials would also like to thank Centenary College for opening their doors to provide assistance to emergency responders."

Assisting at the scene was the Hackettstown Fire Police, Hackettstown Rescue Squad, Hackettstown Ladies Auxiliary, Hackettstown Office Of Emergency Management, Independence Twp. Fire Department, Tri County Fire Co., Mansfield Fire Department, Mansfield Twp Rescue Squad, Allamuchy Fire Department, Budd Lake Fire Department, Netcong Fire Department, Washington Borough Fire Department, Schooley's Mountain Fire Department, Roxbury Fire Department, Franklin Fire Department, Mountain Lake Fire Department, Hackettstown Department Of Public Works, Warren County Communications Command Unit, Morris County EMS Task Force, JCP&L and Elizabethtown Gas Co.