Smoke from distant forest fires smothered Red Bank and much of the Northeastern United States in an otherworldly haze Wednesday.
Funneled south from Canada, the smoke turned the air “very unhealthy,” according to the federal Environmental Protection Administration’s AirNow website. That designation continued Thursday morning.
Check out the forecast below, as well as redbankgreen‘s photos of the eerie atmosphere. (Photos by John T. Ward and Max Saltman. Click to enlarge.)
A plumbing test gone awry led to the evacuation of a three-story building in downtown Red Bank Tuesday morning, officials said.
A pan left on a hot stove filled a home at 207 East Bergen Place in Red Bank with smoke shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday. A contingent of volunteer firefighters and other emergency personnel responded to the alarm. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
The Red Bank borough council honored three police officers — from left, Tanner Shea, TD Doremus and Cevin Albert — as lifesavers Wednesday night for their roles in the rescue of a senior citizen from smoke-filled apartment at the Wesleyan Arms apartments on January 1.
Seventy-nine-year-old Michael Malloy was asleep when a lighted cigarette set his mattress on fire, authorities said. The officers, responding to a medical call, heard his cries for help and then crawled through the smoke-filled unit to rescue him and ensure no other victims were present, said Councilman and Police Commissioner Mike Whelan. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
A smoke condition prompted an evacuation of the Community YMCA in Red Bank at around 6 a.m. Wednesday, sending wet swimmers and other exercisers outdoors. An unconfirmed report attributed the smoke to food burned in a microwave oven. (Click to enlarge)
[Update: The Asbury Park Press reports that an electrical fire damaged the roof of the GPA Building, which will be closed for repairs, but the school will open as normal Friday.] Volunteer firefighters were on the scene of a reported fire at the Ranney School on Hope Road in Tinton Falls Thursday evening. No flames were visible at about 8 p.m. The Asbury Park Press reported “smoke showing through the roof” and that no students were believed to be inside at the time of the event. (Photo by Wil Fulton. Click to enlarge)