‘Helmet cam’ captures dramatic scenes inside multi-alarm Rumson, N.J. blaze

    Have you ever wondered what it’s like to enter a burning building?

    On Monday, firefighters from numerous departments battled a four-alarm blaze that badly damaged a 19-century mansion on Buena Vista Avenue in Rumson, N.J.

    20150422 fire house 1200The cause of the fire is still under investigation but the house named “Blithwald” was being decorated for Saturday’s black-tie fundraiser Stately Homes by the Sea, which has now been cancelled, according to a report on APP.com.

    No one was injured, and the cause remains under investigation. 

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    What’s unique about this particular fire is that a volunteer Sea Bright Fire Rescue member affixed a camera on his helmet to document the experience of arriving on the scene, entering the house to search for occupants, and battling the blaze. 

    The video captures firefighters arriving to flames shooting out from the top-floor and immediately conducting a search of the premises. 

    Upon entering, smoke is visible on the first floor, and sparks are seen falling from upper floors.

    “Alright, we’re going to lose it. Too much drop down, too much drop down,” one firefighter said. “It’s coming down, baby.”

    Firefighters then search the smoke-filled first floor, yell out for any occupants, and move to the second floor. Seconds later, flames on the upper floors are visible, and sparks increase.

    “Hurry up, it’s going. We’re going to lose it,” one firefighter yells. “We’re outta time.”

    The search did not uncover any occupants. 

    After exiting and regrouping, firefighters return inside with hoses and begin dousing flames in the upper floors. 

    The fire department says it released the footage to educate the public.

    “We feel that releasing this film will not only give the public insight on what we do but will allow our brothers and sisters of the service an opportunity to better both themselves and ourselves in the future,” a Facebook posting says. “The members made multiple attempts to try and gain control of the fire with an interior attack but were subsequently driven back.”

    The video contains some explicit language, which the department asks the public to “please excuse” since the “guys were in the heat of the moment.”

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