Our best Wishes Go Out to the Wilson's

April 4, 2008 at 9:18 am

By CHRISTINA TATU

 

ctatu@njherald.com

BLAIRSTOWN—By the time firefighters arrived at the Wilson residence on Wednesday evening, the black smoke was so thick they couldn't tell where the fire was coming from.

More than 70 firefighters and 10 tankers spent seven hours fighting the fire at the two-story cobblestone house of Michael and Diane Wilson at 20 Cedar Lake Road in Blairstown — from 7 p.m. until the last truck left at 2:30 Thursday morning.

The home, which sits atop a large hill, is bordered by state land and required two full tanker squads to shuttle water to the scene.

Blairstown Fire Chief Bill Weinbercht said the thick, billowing smoke made it difficult for firefighters to douse the blaze.

"When we arrived, it was full of smoke, and we couldn't tell where it was burning from," said Weinbercht.

One of the Wilsons' three sons reportedly was home at the time the blaze started, and he called the Blairstown Fire Department after he noticed smoke inside the house. No one was injured.

The blaze quickly engulfed the roof of the home on Wednesday night, and when firefighters arrived on scene the flames already were reaching into the sky, with black smoke pouring from the upstairs windows. About 15 fire trucks and emergency service vehicles filled the road leading up to the house.

Part of the roof collapsed before 10 p.m. By morning, much of the rest of the house had collapsed, said a state fire marshal at the scene on Thursday.

Firefighters still were trying to determine Thursday how the fire started. Weinbercht, several Blairstown firefighters and a state fire marshal were digging through the charred remains of the home with shovels, trying to locate where the fire started.

"We believe it started in the walls and traveled to the attic, where it quickly spread, but we aren't sure of a cause yet," Weinbercht said.

According to firefighters on scene, Michael and Diane Wilson and their two other sons were not at home at the time of the fire.

The Wilson family was at the property on Thursday talking with investigators. Diane Wilson walked around the property, inspecting damage at the back of the house, which was collapsed almost entirely. The only thing left standing, besides the cobblestone facade, was the brick chimney. Where the roof used to be, there were only some charred support beams.

The family did not want to comment on the fire.

Weinbercht said the Wilsons are "devastated" by the loss.

"Emotions are really strong here right now," Weinbercht said. "Fires like this are a shame, but what can you do? You have to do the best that you can. I would like to thank everyone who responded last night."

Blairstown firefighters were assisted by several other fire companies, including Allamuchy, Hope, Independence, Hackettstown, Knowlton, Fredon, Swartswood and others from Sussex and Hunterdon counties.

Neighbors said the Wilsons have lived on the property for at least six years.

"Diane came over just this morning. She's in absolute shock," said Pat Brunner, who lives across the street from the Wilsons.

Brunner said that she and her husband, Ed, left to visit a niece across town at 6:30 p.m., just half an hour before the fire erupted. The couple said they didn't notice any smoke coming from the Wilson property when they left. Pat said that later that evening she received a phone call from her daughter that there was a large fire in the neighborhood.

The Brunners rushed home, and got there around 9 p.m.

"There were so many fire trucks here, we had to park at the bottom of the street near (Blairstown Animal Hospital) and walk up because there was no way to get through," Ed said.

On Thursday afternoon, the Wilson's two horses grazed peacefully at the front of the property. Brunner said the horses were not injured during the fire, and the family dog also was safe.

Because Cedar Lake doesn't have its own water system, firefighters had to call in at least two squads of tankers. On Wednesday night, the tankers parked about a mile from the Wilson home at the Shell Gas Station on Route 94 to refill their water tanks from the Paulinskill River, which runs behind the station.

Brunner said the Wilson's property is bordered by the former Green Acres, an 80-acre, state-owned piece of property that was once a horse farm.

"It's a shame, because I know they've been working so hard to renovate that house and keep the property nice," Brunner said.

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