Wallington firefighters responded about 1:00 a.m. Friday to the Akasaka restaurant, 457 Paterson Ave, Wallington, NJ. The restaurant fire was a two-alarm fire. Barnas apparently fell from the roof while he was cutting a hole in the roof to ventilate the restaurant.
Truck Co. 1 firefighter Gregory Barnas, age 57, served as the chief of the department in 1997. He also served on the Jersey City Fire Department for nearly 30 years, where he rose to the rank of captain.
Firefighters in New Jersey are mourning the loss of one of their own who died while battling a blaze at a restaurant in Wallington, where he worked since 1972.
Barnas’ two sons, also firefighters, were at work at the same fire.
The fire is believed to be accidental — apparently starting in a light fixture.
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