Fire in Abandoned Hospital Highlights Busy Shift forTrenton Firefighters

January 8, 2023, proved to be an exceptionally busy tourof duty for firefighters in the state capital as members of Trenton Fire Department’s D Platoon battled fourworking fires in a 10-hourperiod, including one blaze involving part of the abandoned Mercer Medical Centercomplex. It was 1400 when crews were dispatched to the old hospital. Several othercompanies that would have been due were already committed to othercalls. Smoke was showing from the fenced-in complex on Bellevue Avenue when Engine 1 arrived. After forcing entry, firefighters realized the fire was betteraccessed from the rearoff Rutherford Avenue. Initially it was believed the fire was burning only on the exterior, but then heavy fire was confirmed in the base- ment. The blaze was placed undercontrol at 1510. Anotherworking fire was reported at 1430 on the top floorof a three-story home on South Broad Street, on the opposite end of the city. This blaze was brought undercontrol by 1455 by remaining Trenton companies, as well as Rescue 1 and othercity firefighters who were quickly released from the scene of the first fire. The third workerof the day, reported at 1630 and declared undercontrol at 1648, was in the kitchen of a house on Emory Avenue. D Platoon’s fourth fire of the tour, reported at 2340, involved a vacant, boarded-up house on Cleveland Avenue. That blaze was placed undercontrol at 0037.