By JACKIE HANUSEY
Staff Writer

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – The Bargaintown Volunteer Fire Company responded to a familiar location last week – their own firehouse – as a blaze damaged the building on Mill Road late Wednesday, Dec. 12.

The firefighters had come back with Santa Claus riding around Bargaintown at 10 p.m., according to Company Chief Tom Nace when calls came in around 11 p.m. that flames were spotted coming from the firehouse roof.

The fire is still under investigation.

“The first guys on location did a great job getting the gear and equipment out,” Nace said.

At the time of the fire there were two engines and one tanker inside.

“It’s hard to experience the feeling that your firehouse is burning,” he said. “You just can’t describe it. It is not a good feeling.”

He said the firefighters did a great job keeping their edge and controlling the situation. Being familiar with the building was an asset to those putting out the flames.

“Knowing the layout of a building is always an advantage because you know what you are going into,” Nace said. “Other companies had all been in the building as well.”

Nace credits the construction of the old cement building from the 1930s with keeping the flames from damaging the engine room.

“The kitchen has basically been destroyed,” Nace explained. “They are still evaluating the building with structural engineers.”

Rebuilding parts of the kitchen and meeting room might be necessary.

While the meeting room is not used by the company for regular meetings (they meet at their other firehouse on Anthony 'Mink' Pagano Drive), the room is rented out to community groups and for parties.

“We have a church group in there twice a week,” Nace said. “They have temporarily been moved to another building and after the first of the year will probably go to another company. We are in fact losing income from that building.”

Bargaintown and Cardiff volunteer fire companies initially responded to the single alarm fire. Scullville was later called as well as an additional fire truck from the Northfield Fire Department. The West Atlantic City Volunteer Fire Company covered Cardiff during the fire.

About 60 volunteers were on the scene to handle the blaze which was under control within a half hour. The scene was cleared around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 13. The fire company was able to put the equipment back into the building around 2 a.m.

Nace said the heat was turned back on the next day and power was restored Thursday night.