Holiday Centerpiece Catches Fire on Christmas

A holiday centerpiece caught on fire late on Christmas Day and created so much smoke that the Bernardsville Fire Co.'s first aid squad also checked residents at the scene for smoke inhalation symptoms, said Bernardsville Police Chief Kevin Valentine.

The chief said that borough police and the Bernardsville Fire Co. with first aid squad members all responded to the reported fire at 6:14 p.m. on Tuesday at 19-3 Heritage Court.

The fire from the centerpiece caused much smoke, and the first aid squad checked household occupants to see if they were experiencing smoke-related illness, Valentine said. However, he added that the police report did not specify whether anyone was transported to a hospital for smoke inhalation.

Also on Christmas morning, a fire reported at 12:39 a.m. burned Christmas trees and wreaths and destroyed about half of a greenhouse at 540 Mine Brook Road in Far Hills, according to a report on NJ.com.

Several fire companies, including Liberty Corner Fire Co., were called to the scene because that section of town does not have fire hydrants, according to the Far Hills-Bedminster Fire Department.