Lake Hiawatha House Fire Under Investigation

Parsippany Police and a number of area fire districts were at the scene of a Saturday afternoon residential fire on Iroquois Avenue in Lake Hiawatha.

According to Lake Hiawatha Fire District 4 Chief R.J. Briant, the fire, which was reported shortly after four p.m., is under investigation. Briant said no one was injured in the blaze, but he said officials did not know much more at this time.

"Firefighters were able to knock down the fire in about five minutes after our arrival," he said. "Boonton Fire Department was the fast team here, but District 4 arrived and took command. Right now, we have to wait to see what caused the fire."

The Rockaway Neck District 5 department was also on the scene, and Briant said Parsippany-Troy Hills Fire Association District 6 was on call in case. Parsippany Rescue and Recovery was also present.

Neighbors at the scene huddled on Iroquois Avenue outside the smoldering house and shared their views of what occurred.

Resident Judy Tiedemann talked of a loud noise and thick, black smoke emerging from the residence.

Mary Giannetti, who lives next door to the home in question, said the sound of voices from the adjacent house let her know something was seriously wrong.

"I was watching a movie when I heard the wife next door say to her husband, 'Are you okay?'I know that he's a big smoker, so I was afraid it was a medical issue. Then the first white SUV pulled up and I thought he was having a heart attack. Then I saw a man pull on fireman boots, and heard another voice say, 'I got the birds out.'"

Giannetti said the next thing she heard was an explosion.

"I was in my sweats, my pajamas, so I went upstairs to put on jeans," she recalled. "Now, my bedroom faces their house, and I heard this explosion. I thought a propane tank went up. They were telling the husband not to go back in the house; thank God he didn't go back in and no one got hurt."

She said the fire apparatus then appeared as flames "went up through the roof" and set a tree afire on the side of the house.

The view allowed by the firefighters was small and no visible damage was apparent in the front of the home.

Fire Chief Briant told Patch that an arson investigator is coming to the scene to assess the situation in hopes of determining the blaze's cause.