Lightning Blamed for Building Fire in Linden
LINDEN, N.J. (CBS 2/AP) -- A lightning strike in Linden, New Jersey is being blamed for sparking a building fire.
The fire at the two-story Elizabeth Street building -- which contains some apartments and a dance studio -- apparently started around 9:45 a.m. Sunday. But firefighters soon arrived on scene and quickly brought the blaze under control.
No serious injuries were reported, though a firefighter -- whose name was not disclosed -- was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
CBS 2's Dave Carlin got a first-hand look at the damage and spoke about the fire with building owner Roman Fasman.
Fasman says he was watching television on his couch before he was taken aback by "a big boom."
"The whole building shook and the smoke alarm started going on right away," Fasman told Carlin.
Smoke started pouring out of the building and neighbors quickly called 911. As Fasman ran out of the burning building with his two children, he banged on the doors of all his tenants to alert them of the situation.
"I knew how many people were in the building," Fasman said, "it was very comforting knowing I got everybody [out]."
Fasman, who successfully battled cancer, knows how to bounce back from tough situations and is just relieved no one was seriously hurt.
"This can be rebuilt," Fasman said, "obviously I have insurance."
