Family ‘overwhelmed by kindness' after fire destroys home

Oak Ridge — A raging fire quickly destroyed the home and most of the possessions of Michael and Lisa DiPaolo of 11 Greendale Drive in the Farmcrest Acres development on Tuesday afternoon, July 14. It had been home to the DiPaolos, their four children and a friend, Jodi Gerstenmaier. The inferno, believed by the owners to have been caused by a lawn mower in an attached shed, left the adults and children with very little. A great deal of the contents of the house was destroyed. They did not carry content insurance, Lisa DiPaolo said. All six West Milford fire companies responded to the three-alarm fire, which occurred at 3:23 p.m. Also responding were fire companies from Jefferson and Hardyston, with Ringwood standing by for the duration. West Milford and out-of-town first aid squads were in attendance along with West Milford police. According to Fire Marshal Ronald Svrchek, the deep-seated, very hot fire and the high temperatures that day were cause for the call out of the six township departments, requiring more manpower to rotate the firefighters out when necessary. By the time the fire chiefs arrived the fire was huge, emitting such heat that plastic toys in the back yard melted. Svrchek reported that there were two minor injuries to firemen. Homeowner Michael DiPaolo was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, but released that evening. The fire marshal said that some personal items were recovered from the basement but the first and second floors were totally destroyed. He was also able to recover some cash and jewelry from the house. Very little was salvageable from the main floors, but a few sentimental things made it through the inferno — like a baby tooth in a box and an autographed baseball. The house is now boarded up and has been condemned by the building department. The investigation as to the cause of the fire is ongoing. Both DiPaolo and Gerstenmaier could not say enough good things about each and every emergency responder and the people of the community who have come out to support them. The firefighters provided monetary assistance from their Burn Out Fund to the family, DiPaolo said, and the next day, on her son’s birthday, emergency workers stopped by with a gift card for him. As of now, they have been inundated with clothing and household goods. Pickup trucks lined the driveway for days, ready to help move donations and what was usable to their temporary home on Clinton Road. They said they are more overwhelmed with kindness than with tragedy. “If disaster had to strike, what a great community for it to happen in. Everybody pulls together and pitches in,” DiPaolo said. “Everyone is doing OK. It’s devastating for everyone but harder for the children, losing all their possessions. But they are strong kids,” Gerstenmaier said. A DiPaolo relief fund has been set up by friends at the Lakeland Bank on Route 23, Newfoundland.