Electrical Fire Destroys Morris County Home

ROXBURY, NJ — An electrical fire on Saturday, April 29, left a Morris County home uninhabitable, forcing the residents to find shelter elsewhere, Roxbury Fire Official Mike Pellek said.

No residents were injured as a result of the blaze, but everything in the house was damaged by the thick smoke, officials said.

The fire started around 2:26 a.m. when a power line fell on Emmans Road during windy and rainy conditions. The primary electrical line fell off a pole and contacted a nearby secondary line, sending high voltage into the nearby homes.

Netcong, Flanders, Chester, Randolph, Mt. Arlington, Wharton, Mine Hill and the county area fire coordinator also responded to the scene, in addition to all three Roxbury fire companies.

"The home was severely damaged as well as two other homes receiving minor damage to their electrical services due to the power surge. The fire remains under investigation by the Roxbury Fire Official," Pellek said.

Karl Weiss, the brother of the homeowner, Joe Weiss, has started an online fundraiser to collect donations for the Roxbury family, who were displaced by the Saturday fire.

"As the house quickly filled with smoke, Joe and Claire were able to rescue Andrew, Eleanor, and their two dogs, Ruby and Remmy. A neighbor was able to take Claire and the kids inside while Joe, the dogs, and I watched the team of firefighters work in the pouring rain," Weiss said.

The bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and basement of the house have all suffered extensive fire damage. According to Weiss, every room's walls had been ripped apart in order to extinguish the fires inside.

"Everything in the house is lost from the thick smoke damage. Please consider supporting their recovery as they navigate this family tragedy," Weiss said.