Sussex County home destroyed in fire; no injuries reported amid multi-agency response
VERNON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Sussex County) — A home on Division Drive in the Highland Lakes section of Vernon Township was destroyed by fire Tuesday, but no injuries were reported as multiple fire departments responded to the scene, officials said.
Fire departments from Highland Lakes, Vernon, Pochuck and McAfee responded to the structure fire near Lake Wanda, with mutual aid companies from Warwick, Upper Greenwood Lake, Hardyston and Sussex also assisting.
Officials said the coordinated response helped prevent a potentially more serious incident, though the structure and a vehicle sustained significant damage.
Vernon Mayor Anthony Rossi said he was nearby when the fire occurred and described the response in a statement posted on social media.
“Today, I happened to be in the area when I was alerted to a structure fire in Highland Lakes. Thankfully, everyone made it out safely, but the home was a total loss. What stood out most was the response. Our fire department, surrounding area fire departments, EMS, and police operated with precision and professionalism—truly like a well-oiled machine. In moments like these, you see exactly how critical their training, coordination, and commitment are. We are extremely fortunate to have such dedicated first responders protecting our community every day. God bless and protect them all. I also want to recognize something personal—those two gentlemen operating the hose are the same two young men we hired at the DPW. I couldn’t be more proud of them. They represent the very best of our community. I guess this is the time when I can say ” Your tax dollars hard at work””
The cause of the fire was not immediately released.
