PARSIPPANY — 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.

Mount Tabor Fire Department, Par-Troy EMS and officers began responding to the area.

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.

Multiple officers, along with Mount Tabor Volunteer Fire Department District 1, Parsippany-Troy Hills Volunteer Fire Department District 6, Lake Parsippany Volunteer Fire Department District 3, Lake Hiawatha Volunteer Fire Department District 4, Boonton Fire Department RIT, Cedar Knolls Fire Department RIT, Parsippany Rescue and Recovery, Rockaway Neck First Aid Squad and Par-Troy EMS responded to the scene.

Rainbow Lakes Volunteer Fire Department District 2 was used for coverage if any further assistance or emergency calls were received.

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, at 29 Southwood Drive, 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.

A construction company was contacted and the house was demolished.

The fire was brought under control and extinguished and all personnel departed the scene by Tuesday, December 26 at 1:20 a.m.

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.

One firefighter was transported to Saint Clares Hospital by Rockaway Neck First Aid Squad after falling on some ice and injuring his leg.

The occupants are currently staying with family. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.  

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Roxbury Police Chief Marc Palanchi announce that Cameron Muir, 23, Stanhope, was found guilty of two counts of Sexual Assault, crimes of the second degree, and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, crimes of the third degree, after a jury trial before the Honorable Sohail Mohammed, J.S.C. (Passaic Vicinage).

On March 25, 2012, the then five year-old female victim disclosed to a family member that the Defendant had sexually assaulted her on two occasions. The first act occurred when the victim was four years-old and the Defendant was 17 years-old.  The second act occurred when the victim was five years-old and the Defendant was 18 years old.  Mr. Muir was babysitting the victim at the time of the acts in question.

On the afternoon of December 21, 2017, the jury returned a verdict in this matter.  In addition to the verdict of guilty on the charges of Sexual Assault and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, the jury acquitted the Defendant of charges of first degree Aggravated Sexual Assault.  Defendant was remanded to the Passaic County Jail and is expected to be sentenced on April 25, 2018.

Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Meg Rodriguez and Assistant Prosecutor Alyssa DiSturco represented the State in these proceedings.

Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Roxbury Police Department, specifically, Lieutenant Dean Adone, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit, specifically, Sergeant Marshall Wang, for their efforts in this matter.