1 Dead, 1 Injured In Morris County House Fire

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — An investigation is underway to determine the cause of a Tuesday afternoon house fire that killed one person and injured another in Morris County.

The fire occurred at approximately 1 p.m. on Dec. 19 on Mooney Road in Roxbury Township, according to Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll.

When the Roxbury Police and Fire Departments arrived on the scene, they discovered a resident, a 71-year-old man, who had self-extricated from the structure. He was then brought to a nearby hospital for treatment of serious fire-related injuries.

A second resident, a 98-year-old woman, was found dead inside the home once the fire was put out, the prosecutor's office said.

A post-mortem examination will be performed by the Morris County Medical Examiner's Office to identify the exact cause of death, officials said.

The identities of both victims have not been released by the police.

“I wanted to personally thank our Roxbury Fire Department and the firefighters and EMS personnel who came from surrounding towns to assist us yesterday. We understand the impact such a loss can have on the community. We ask for respect and privacy for the family, as they mourn the loss of their loved one and extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and all those impacted by this loss,” Roxbury Police Chief Dean Adone said.

The cause and origin of the fire at the home on Mooney Road in the Ledgewood section of Roxbury remain under investigation, the prosecutor's office said.

Responding fire departments included Roxbury, Mount Olive, Chester, Mount Arlington, Morris Plains, Mine Hill, Hopatcong, Wharton, Stanhope, Byram, Ralston, Picatinny, Dover, and Parsippany.

According to the police, the fire caused the property to partially collapse and become uninhabitable.

The prosecutor's office said that the fire is not considered suspicious at this point in the investigation.

“I echo the sentiments of Chief Adone. This is a tragic event in our county. Myself and the members of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office offer our deepest condolences to the victims, and their family and friends. I want to commend the courageous firefighters of the Roxbury Fire Department, as well as all the firefighters and EMS personnel from surrounding towns who responded to this dangerous call,” Carroll said.