Town Topics
14 March, 1990

Spruce St. Duplex Burned Electric Heater Is Blamed

An electric heater that ignited an attic mattress is being blamed for a fire Thursday afternoon in a duplex home at 92 Spruce Street. One half of the home sustained extensive damage and was ruled by officials as uninhabitable until repairs are made.

One resident, Francisco Villegas, 56, was treated at Princeton Medical Center for smoke inhalation and later released. Two other residents, Alberto Rivaras and Maria Montes, escaped injury.

According to Princeton fire officials, the fire broke out shortly before 2 when an electric heater ignited a mattress in the attic. Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Root reported that fire spread quickly through the two-story home but was brought under control about a half-hour later.

The roof and one side of the structure sustained extensive damage; the other half received smoke and water damage to the upper floor. All three companies of the Princeton Fire Department responded.

HEATER BLAMED FOR ROOF FIRE: A Princeton Fire Department “Cherry Picker” hoses down the roof of a duplex home at 92 Spruce Street during a Thursday afternoon fire that severely damaged one-half of the structure. An electric heater that ignited an attic mattress is being blamed as the cause of the fire.