Story by: Mike Ratcliffe, The Trenton Times, http://www.nj.com

Friday, July 12, 2002

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - A two-alarm blaze in a metal overseas shipping container being carried on a flatbed tractor trailer resulted in a traffic backup of more than 15 miles on the New Jersey Turnpike yesterday.

The incident on the southbound side of the Turnpike near milepost 63, north of Exit 7A, started at 1:30 p.m. when a mechanical problem apparently started a fire on the tractor-trailer, said Washington Township Fire Department Capt. Dennis Symons. Heat from flames burning up against the metal caused numerous cardboard drums within the 40-foot-long container to ignite, he said.

The cardboard drums contained clothing and other household items. They and a pickup truck were packed inside the shipping container, Symons said.

He said the container was going to be shipped to Kingston, Jamaica

"We had to use metal cutting saws to open up the container and fight the fire from the exterior until the Turnpike Authority could get a backhoe out and pull the drums from inside the container," Symons said. He said firefighters then hosed down the charred debris as it was removed and placed in trash containers.

Paint and aerosol cans stored inside the drums exploded in the blaze, he said.

Because a tremendous amount of water was needed to extinguish the hard-to-reach fire, help was summoned from Hightstown, East Windsor 1, East Windsor 2, Hope (Allentown), Groveville and Nottingham fire companies.

Signal 22, a canteen unit from Trenton, responded to provide firefighters with cold water and other refreshments. One firefighter suffered a minor injury.

The fire was extinguished by 4 p.m. but firefighters remained on the scene until 5:30 p.m. State troopers shut down the right southbound lane during that time.

Southbound traffic continued to flow in the center and left lanes, but at a slowed pace that resulted in a backup of more than 15 miles, police said. The northbound side of the Turnpike also backed up for several miles due to curious motorists slowing to look, police said.