Boiler fire forces evacuation of Emerson nursing home, reporter removed from property

BEHIND THE STORY: Nearly 150 residents and employees were evacuated from the Emerson Health and Rehabilitation Center after a small boiler fire sent smoke through the facility.

Jerry DeMarco

09/30/2012 4:17 p.m.

No major injuries were reported in the blaze, which was called in from the Kinderkamack Road facility around 10:15 this morning.

Emerson police extinguished the fire as borough firefighters arrived.

CLIFFVIEW PILOT photos

Also responding to the site were Westwood, which sent its rescue truck, Washington Township, and Hillsdale, which sent an ambulance to another Emerson call in the middle of the incident.

A Tri-Boro ambulance also responded.

An incident was avoided afterward when an Emerson police officer on the scene stepped in to remove a newspaper reporter whom a fire official had asked to leave the property, several borough sources confirmed.

CLIFFVIEW PILOT remained on the sidewalk and across Kinderkamack Road without stepping onto the property.

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