Teaneck FD Cleared In Blaze That Killed 4 Kids

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Fire dept. cleared in blaze that killed 4 kids

Associated Press

(New Jersey-AP, March 15, 2006) - The Teaneck Fire Department did a thorough investigation when called to check into a report of smoke in a house where, hours later, four children died in a raging fire, according to state investigators.

In a long-awaited report made public Wednesday, the state Division of Fire Safety said that although firefighters brought a thermal-imaging camera capable of seeing through walls to the house where a loud bang and smoke were reported on the evening of March 21, 2005, they were justified in not using it because the cause appeared to be a malfunctioning boiler.

Five hours after firefighters left the house, a blaze broke out that quickly spread through the house, killing four children and critically injuring their mother. Two other children and a housekeeper escaped.

"This investigation did not find any indication that the Teaneck Fire Department conducted anything short of a diligent investigation in order to find the cause of the first incident," the report stated. "Lacking evidence of smoke or the odor of smoke when they arrived, six highly experienced firefighters worked to find a problem that did not readily present itself."

State investigators who reviewed the performance of Teaneck firefighters were unable to determine if the cause of the blaze - an electrical problem due to an overheated refrigerator/freezer - was present when firefighters were first called to the house at 8:44 p.m., "or if it was merely a tragic coincidence that two separate problems occurred within hours of each other."

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Well look at this. I hope that all the Monday morning quarterbacks and TV experts who buried this department last year read this article. Maybe we should revisit some of the posts and opinions. Let this be a lesson to all you thermal imaging people, IF YOU WEREN'T THERE AND DON'T KNOW ALL THE FACTS you might be better served by keeping your opinions to yourself.

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What, no one interested? Everybody had an opinion last March. Lets reopen the discussion.