Posted on Wed, Mar 5, 2008
Bucks Local News.com
By Daniel Brooks; Gazette Editor

A multi-alarm fire swiftly shot through two stone and wooden structures on North Main Street in Stockton, N.J. in the early morning hours on Sunday, March 2, sending seven people shivering and scared into the darkness.The dwellings-2 and 4 N. Main St.-were quickly engulfed in flames as volunteer firemen from Stockton and nine other major communities fought to contain the blaze from entering neighboring homes.

The fire was initially discovered by Nick Suazzo, who occupied the top front apartment of 4 N. Main St., which was named as the fire's probable origin, although no official cause for the fire has yet been determined.

The lower level of the structure, formerly a pizza shop, was unoccupied.

According to Stockton Fire Chief Paul Steffanelli, Suazzo was first to wake to the black smoke, which was billowing through his bedroom. Instinctively he ran for his main door, in the rear of the building, but could not find a latch because of dense smoke. He then broke a window to escape and this resulted in a "flashover" that sent flames out the windows and door. Undaunted, Suazzo then ran quickly to wake the other tenants in the building, John and Lynn Altmeier, according to Steffanelli. Mrs. Alt-meier is reportedly seven months pregnant.

Fred Strackhouse, owner of the Stockton Inn at 1 Main St. and the dwelling at 2 N. Main St. had left the premises after business hours around 1:15 a.m., but was called back to the scene at 2:30 a.m. and arrived to witness the residences in flames at 2:45 a.m. The structure is used by the Stockton Inn as guest rooms, largely for newlyweds. Four people were occupying two suites in the building, but they-like the others – escaped unharmed.

"The police were very nervous for awhile because we couldn't locate one couple and we thought that they may still be in the building," reported Strackhouse. As it turned out, the second couple reported seeing the missing pair, who apparently quickly fled the scene and drove back to their home. "Thank goodness no one was seriously hurt," Strackhouse added.

He did report that Mrs. Altmeier was taken to Hunderdon Medical Center for smoke inhalation and Chief Steffanelli stated that Suazzo had been treated on the scene for cuts and abrasions suffered from breaking out of his apartment.

The Stockton structure, although apparently not where the fire started, became involved when flames from the first building leapt through a window into into the window of the second building. Both structures looked to be, typical of the region, many years old. While stone sections seemed sturdy, the entire wooden rafters and second levels were gutted and aluminum poling and framing at the back of the structure appeared melted.

Strackhouse and Steffanelli commented on the intensity of heat thrown by the flames. At one point, electrical and phone wires in the front of the building melted causing an eruption of flame and a truck parked underneath was severely damaged.

On the scene on Tuesday, a Verizon official said that service had been restored to all of the customers from Stockton to French-town who were without service for two days. The Stockton Inn's main building, as well as a guest house across the street from the fire, were undamaged and on Sunday at the Stockton Inn, it was business as usual. According to Strack-house, Suazzo has gone to stay with his mother while the Altmeier family was given shelter in a nearby apartment building owned by Dick Phillips, owner of Phillips Fine Wines in Stockton. All of the fire's victims lost all of their belongings. "Nick tried to come back and salvage but there is nothing left," said trackhouse.

Strackhouse is having a fundraiser for the victims at the Stockton Inn on March 16 from 2-6 p.m., featuring many Stockton Inn favorites such as guitarist Eric Mintel and Don Meyer. Roxy Perry, who Strackhouse describes as a "blues queen from New York" will appear at the performance, all to raise the funds of hope for the displaced families.

Meanwhile, the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the New Jersey State Police, head-quatered in Kingwood Township, N.J. Steffanelli said he wishes to thank the efforts shown by firemen, fire police and police from Stockton and from neighboring Lambertville, Sargentsville, West Amwell, Raritan, Frenchtown, Kingwood Township, and New Hope's Eagle Fire Company, as well as tankers from Midway and South County Task Force.

The combined effort contained ablaze that could have spread and done more harm without the efforts of these members.