Brigantine House Fire Injures Firefighter; Family Dog Rescued

Neighbors said someone might still be in the house, and firefighters Jeff Newcomer and Greg Goff entered the building with a thermal imaging camera, used to detect the presence of victims in a fire, Maguire said. Newcomer and Goff found the family dog almost immediately and brought him outside.

Once outside, the dog was turned over to Chief John Frugoli and Animal Warden Ernie Purdy, who revived the canine using cardio pulmonary resuscitation and giving oxygen, Maguire said. The dog was taken to the Brigantine Animal Hospital and then transferred to the Margate Animal Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.

Newcomer, a 13-year veteran of the Fire Department, suffered minor burns and other injuries, and was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, where he was treated and released, Maguire said. A neighbor was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene, but declined to be taken to the hospital.

While Newcomer and Goff were searching the house for more possible victims, Capt. William Mayer and his crew formed a second attack line to prevent heavy winds from spreading the flames to the neighboring homes, Maguire said. Firefighters Robert Sooy and Rick Derrickson used the aerial ladder to ventilate the roof.

The owners were apparently not home at the time, Maguire said.

The fire was under control in less than 20 minutes, and crews stayed on the scene for nearly four hours, Maguire said.

The home sustained about $80,000 worth of fire and smoke damage, and the neighboring house suffered about $20,000 in damage to the exterior, Maguire said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by investigator Joseph Lavigna, Maguire said.

E-mail Elaine Rose: ERose@pressofac.com

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