Fire partially destroys Lake Tamarack house; cause undetermined

HARDYSTON-Flames destroyed most of a lakefront home at 84 East Lake Shore Road in Lake Tamarack, in the Stockholm section of Hardyston. According to Hardyston records, Morro and Joanne Thomas own the house. The blaze broke out last Thursday, reported Hardyston Police Captain Alan Henderson. "Although firefighters arrived on the scene within 10 minutes, the first floor already had partly collapsed into the basement when the crew arrived," Henderson said. "Firefighters from Hardyston, Franklin, and West Milford worked together, bringing the fire under control within 30 minutes. The crews then stayed at the scene for several hours securing the building. The Hamburg fire department remained on standby." At the scene, first aid squads from Hardyston and from Milton treated two firefighters and two residents for minor injuries, Henderson noted. Today, a yellow police tape cordons the charred remains of the house, and large sheets of plywood and particleboard protect its damaged walls. An adjacent building also is cordoned and swathed in blue tarpaulins. A weeping woman identifying herself as the mother of the homeowners said she did not wish to talk about the event. Other family members strongly echoed her sentiments. What caused the blaze still is unclear, and the Hardyston police, the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office, and the State Police Arson Squad are investigating.