"In the past, we’ve received calls in that area related to burning smells and smoke," said Ron Chace, Leonia fire chief. "But when we got this call, we went searching the neighborhood for the source. By the time we found the fire, it was already burning for an undetermined length of time."

There is evidence Sano attempted to extinguish the fire, which started in the master bedroom, without assistance. Although an investigation by the Leonia Fire Prevention Bureau (LFPB) determined the fire was not caused by arson, Dave Hanelt, fire marshal for the LFPB, has an idea as to how the events may have unfolded.

"Officially, the [cause of the] fire has been ruled ‘undetermined,’ pending further investigation," said Hanelt. "But indications of carelessly discarded smoking materials was most likely the cause. We found bedding materials in the kitchen and bathroom areas. And the bathtub was found running."

Hanelt said due to the size of Sano’s mattress and the smoke, Sano could have died from smoke inhalation. The Bergen County Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to determine the cause of death, pending an autopsy.

"This is bothersome because he was a young man," Hanelt said. "If he had called us right away, nobody would be talking about this. That’s why we have a fire department."

In July, the Fort Lee and Leonia Fire Departments answered a large number of calls related to smoke alarms and fires. On July 21, the Fort Lee Fire Department (FLFD) put out a car fire that almost burned down a home. That same evening, the FLFD fought flames on Hazlett Avenue that destroyed the Podonamoo Church. In both fires, residents called the department immediately.

But Sano’s home was on a hill at the end of a dead-end street. Chace’s son, Bob, captain of the Leonia department, was one of the first firefighters to arrive on the scene. Steven Oxnard, another firefighter, and Troy Wright, Leonia’s deputy fire chief, joined him. After learning a family might still be inside, they ran into the burning home before fire trucks arrived.

"They had no hose and no water," said Chace. "They put on coats, helmets, and breathing apparatuses."

They pulled Sano’s body out of the house and performed CPR, but Sano was already dead. He was 48 years old.

"There was nothing we could have done to change the outcome," Chace said. "It was a tough location."

Although records indicate there were smoke alarms installed when the house was built, only one smoke alarm was found in the basement and did not contain batteries.

When asked what it felt like knowing his son had run into the burning house to save lives, Chace said, "I didn't think about it until they were in there for a while. It was the longest 10 minutes of my life."

Chace and Hanelt could not stress enough the procedure residents must follow in the event they find their homes catch fire.

"If you smell fire, shut the doors, get out, and call 9-1-1," Chace said. "Don't try to put the fire out yourself. It’s rarely a good outcome."