PARSIPPANY — Firemen from the various Parsippany Volunteer Fire Departments remove the flag from the home destroyed on Christmas Day. The structure at 29 Southwood Drive was deemed unsafe and a local contractor came in to demolish the home.
The Parsippany Police Department Communications Center received a 911 call at 6:42 p.m. from Hoovers Tavern reporting some type of a large fire they could see through the woods on Powder Mill Road.
At 6:44 p.m. a second 911 caller reported the rear of 29 Southwood Drive was on fire and was not aware if any occupants were inside the residence.
Mayor-elect Michael Soriano confirmed that there were no occupants inside the structure. “They are safe,” Soriano said. “They were not inside. We were very worried, and very happy when we saw them.” He said they will be staying with relatives.
Tax records list the owners of the home as Roger Anderson, 82, and Geneva Anderson, 77. They were the only people living at that address, according to Soriano.
While attempting to extinguish the fire, it was determined by on scene fire personnel that the structure was collapsing and was unsafe to enter.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Fire Investigator Detective M. Czajka and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office CID unit responded to the scene to process the scene and investigate the cause of the fire.
