United States (New Jersey) - Midland Park firefighters with help from neighboring departments kept flames from consuming an entire church on the evening of November 23rd. Heavy fire and smoke from the rear of The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepard at 497 Godwin Ave. greeted first arriving companies at about 11:15 PM. The fire was in the Parish Hall section of the church, a two story school and office structure attached to the rest of the church. Additional alarms were transmitted quickly bringing much needed help to the scene.

Several handlines and a ladder pipe was put in operation to knock down the heavy fire. Several trench cuts and a lot of opening up inside kept the flames from spreading to additional offices and the sanctuary in the front of the structure. About seventy-five firefighters had the fire under control in less than two hours. No serious injuries were reported, and the church’s crosses, books and other religious articles received no serious damage.

Written and photos by Bill Tompkins

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