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Police & Fire
UPDATE: Montvale Woman, 77, Dies In House Fire UPDATE: Montvale Woman, 77, Dies In House Fire
Update: Montvale Woman, 77, Dies In House Fire UPDATE: A fire that killed a 77-year-old Montvale widow in her home last weekend was ignited by a discarded cigarette, authorities said Friday. The blaze that tore through the North Avenue home of Ninette Grannis broke out just before 1 p.m. Sunday. "When the Montvale Police and Fire Departments arrived on the scene, the single-family residence was consumed by heavy fire," Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo said Friday. Grannis "was unaccounted for and presumed to be inside," he said. Her remains were later located, Calo said. "The cause of the fire was determined to be accident…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
City-Bound Commuter Bus Catches Fire Near 'Spaghetti Bowl' In Wayne City-Bound Commuter Bus Catches Fire Near 'Spaghetti Bowl' In Wayne
City-Bound Commuter Bus Catches Fire Near 'Spaghetti Bowl' In Wayne No injuries were reported after a Manhattan-bound commuter bus caught fire Tuesday morning near the “spaghetti bowl” in Wayne. The driver extinguished the small fire on the rear undercarriage of the 194 bus from Butler after pulling over on southbound Route 23 near where it meets Route 23 and 80 around 7 a.m., NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith said. Other buses were dispatched to collect the 54 passengers, he said.

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Kids See Firefighting Techniques, Equipment Up Close At Ho-Ho-Kus Open House Kids See Firefighting Techniques, Equipment Up Close At Ho-Ho-Kus Open House
Kids See Firefighting Techniques, Equipment Up Close At Ho-Ho-Kus Open House Children in Ho-Ho-Kus got to see firefighting equipment and techniques up close during an annual open house that closed National Fire Prevention Week. Firefighters demonstrated advanced firefighting and life- saving techniques – including a simulated building fire with a roof rescue. Children got to participate in exiting a simulated smoky residence and taking firehose target practice during the event, hosted by The Ho-Ho-Kus Volunteer Fire Department and Ladies Auxiliary. “Sparky,” the department mascot, distributed fire safety booklets, autographs and photos. Kids also got coloring books…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Lyndhurst Firefighters Douse Blaze Spread By Unattended Oven Fire Lyndhurst Firefighters Douse Blaze Spread By Unattended Oven Fire
Lyndhurst Firefighters Douse Blaze Spread By Unattended Oven Fire A fire that began Tuesday morning in an unattended oven all but destroyed the upstairs apartment of a two-family house in Lyndhurst, authorities said. Everyone got out safely, they said, and no injuries were reported. Lyndhurst firefighters kept the fire from spreading after responding to the 11:31 a.m. call in the 700 block of Riverside Avenue, Police Detective Vince Auteri said. Assisting their township colleagues were firefighters from North Arlington and Rutherford, he said. The apartment was deemed uninhabitable, fire officials said. ****** ALSO SEE: An 84-year-old Lyndhurst man re…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Fire Rips Through Ridgewood Elementary School Damaging Classroom Fire Rips Through Ridgewood Elementary School Damaging Classroom
Fire Rips Through Ridgewood Elementary School Damaging Classroom Firefighters are working to determine the cause of a fire that heavily damaged at least one classroom on the first floor of a Ridgewood elementary school on Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported in the blaze that began around 10 a.m. and tore through Willard Elementary School, Fire Capt. Chris Duflocq said. Duflocq believes only custodians were in the building at the time of the fire, which was under control as of 11 a.m. CHECK BACK FOR MORE.

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Tabernacle Saved, Though Hearts Ache: Flames Destroy North Haledon Chapel Tabernacle Saved, Though Hearts Ache: Flames Destroy North Haledon Chapel
Tabernacle Saved, Though Hearts Ache: Flames Destroy North Haledon Chapel Students cried Friday morning as they walked past the soot-covered windows of the chapel at Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon, which was destroyed by an overnight fire. Inside, the altar was charred, pews had melted and the Peragallo pipe organ was ravaged. This after work was completed just two years ago to repair water damage. “Though our hearts are heavy, we are fortunate to be able to report that no one was harmed and that firemen were able to rescue the most precious item in the chapel: the tabernacle,” the St. Joseph Province of the Salesian Sisters wrote. A “testamen…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
HEROES: Garfield Police Officers Pull Unconscious Driver From Burning Car HEROES: Garfield Police Officers Pull Unconscious Driver From Burning Car
Heroes: Garfield Police Officers Pull Unconscious Driver From Burning Car GARFIELD, N.J. – Two Garfield police officers broke the windows of a smoke-filled car that had just struck a dozen parked vehicles and pulled the unconscious driver to safety overnight Tuesday, authorities said. It was unclear when or why the 61-year-old Clifton motorist passed out when Officers Daniel Taylor and Marvin Monroig found his 2000 Ford Explorer on fire on MacArthur Avenue just before 2 a.m. It had just crashed into the rear of a parked vehicle and was on fire, Capt. Darren Sucorowski said. “The officers broke the windows and forced open the door to gain entry to the vehicle as …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Mahwah Woman, 87, Severely Burned When Robe Catches Fire Mahwah Woman, 87, Severely Burned When Robe Catches Fire
Mahwah Woman, 87, Severely Burned When Robe Catches Fire MAHWAH, N.J. -- An 87-year-old Mahwah woman suffered second- and third-degree burns after her robe caught fire Saturday as she tried to avoid a spilling pot of boiling water, authorities said. The woman's 84-year-old sister doused the flames, which didn't extend to their home in Bogert's Trailer Ranch on Pulis Avenue, Lt. Jeff Dino said. The victim was boiling a pot of water on the stove just before noon at Bogert's Trailer Ranch when it suddenly spilled, Dino said. As she spun to get out of the way, her robe landed on the stove, where it caught fire, he said. Flames were climbing her bac…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Popcorn Machine Clears Paramus AMC; Off-Duty Firefighter Jumps Into Action Popcorn Machine Clears Paramus AMC; Off-Duty Firefighter Jumps Into Action
Popcorn Machine Clears Paramus AMC; Off-Duty Firefighter Jumps Into Action An off-duty firefighter helped knock down a fire that broke out in the AMC Garden State 16 Friday caused by a faulty popcorn machine, authorities said. Paramus Volunteer Firefighter Billy Rice Jr. was watching a movie with his wife when a commercial popcorn machine began to malfunction -- filling the theater with smoke, Fire Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg said. Rice -- a paid firefighter for the Hackensack Police Department -- grabbed several fire extinguishers and used them to knock the fire down until the  Paramus Fire Department arrived, the chief said. Firefighters evacuated the theater, whic…

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by Cecilia Levine