Branchburg home destroyed by fire

BRANCHBURG - A home in the Neshanic Station section of the township was destroyed early Monday afternoon after a fire started in the deck area and quickly spread to the rest of the home.

Volunteer firefighters from throughout Somerset and Hunterdon counties responded to the blaze that broke out shortly after noon. No injuries were reported.

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In about an hour all that was left standing was the house's front wall.

Flames were still visible at about 2:30 p.m. as a crew from PSE&G arrived at the scene to shut off gas to the house.

Because the home is in a relatively rural part of the township off Fairview Drive, a convoy of tankers brought water to the scene from the nearest water line in the village of Neshanic Station about two miles away.

Tankers dumped water into temporary holding tanks.

First on the scene was the Neshanic Volunteer Fire Company. Also responding were the following fire companies: North Branch, Readington, Three Bridges, Hillsborough, Country Hills, Bradley Gardens, Green Knoll, Quakertown and Oldwick.

The Branchburg Police Department and Branchburg Rescue Squad also responded to the scene.

State records list the home on the 2.2-acre lot with an assessed value of $465,000.

The exact cause of the fire has not been determined.

Staff Writer Suzanne Russell contributed to this story.

Staff Writer Mike Deak: 908-243-6607; mdeak@mycentraljersey.com