Fire Damages Garage, Attic at Dellwood Drive Home

The Madison Fire Department, Madison Police, Madison Ambulance Corps and fire departments from neighboring towns responded to a house fire on Dellwood Drive Friday morning.

The call came in at 9:49 a.m., Fire Chief Lou DeRosa said, from a pedestrian walking near the home who saw the smoke coming from the house at 50 Dellwood Drive.

The point of origin was next to the garage in back of the house. It spread to the garage attic before it was brought under control, DeRosa said.

"We were able to get water quickly on the fire," DeRosa said, and it was brought under control in about half an hour. The fire never reached the living quarters of the house, but there was smoke damage and the house had to be ventilated.

DeRosa said the house would be fine when it was cleaned, but he was not sure if residents would be able to stay in the house Friday night.

The cause is still under investigation, but DeRosa said, "it does not appear to be suspicious in nature."

A dog was in the home at the time of the fire and was unharmed.

"If it was at a different time of day, or if the passerby had called 10 or 15 minutes later, it would have been a whole different outcome," DeRosa said.

Fire departments from Chatham Borough, Florham Park, Morris Township and Cedar Knolls also responded to the fire. There were no injuries and DeRose released the ambulance corps and other departments at about 11 a.m.