South Jersey firefighter's home in flames after truck slams house, gas pipe

PENNSVILLE — A retired firefighter's home went up in flames early Thursday morning after a pickup truck slammed into the house and hit a gas line.

Police Chief Allen Cummings said Joshua W. Fisher, of Pennsville, lost control of his pickup truck traveling on Dunlop Avenue at the corner of Hook Road after clipping the car in front of him and drove into the house, waking up the husband and wife inside.

The car clipped by Fisher kept going and the passengers inside came running toward an officer as he arrived.

The couple and their pets made it out of the home safely according to Cummings and no one was injured.

Cummings said Fisher, 31, initially denied he was the driver but the officer's dash cam footage told the true story.

"We went back and looked at the video from when the driver first arrived. The driver actually stated 'I couldn't do anything but maneuver around the car.'" Fisher faces several traffic violations for the incident and has been released from custody. He tested negative for the presence of alcohol.

Cummings said he is grateful to the "incredible" quick response from fire companies for helping to avoid what could have been a disastrous situation.

"That's a residential area. Those houses could have all caught on fire with the gas line. Even though they got the fire out of the house there was still a constant flame from the gas main that did not disappear until the gas company came and shut the line off about an hour later. They just stayed on the scene. You never know what gas is going to do."

He said that the blue flame of the gas was burning under the pickup and said everyone there was "very lucky."

New Jersey Fast Traffic's Jill Myra said Hook Road between Route 49 and Route 295 was for several hours as a result of the fire.