DOVER, N.J. (Morris County) — Authorities are investigating a Sunday night three-alarm fire that caused significant damage to a commercial building housing JD Automotive & Truck on Richards Avenue, a business owned by Dover Mayor James P. Dodd, officials said.
According to Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Dover Police Chief Jonathan Delaney, first responders were notified of the blaze around 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 26, 2025. Dover Police and Fire departments arrived to find the two-story commercial building engulfed in flames.
Fire crews from Dover and surrounding towns — including Netcong, Mount Tabor, Roxbury, Picatinny, Denville, and Wharton — worked together to bring the fire under control. Roads near the building were closed as crews battled the blaze.
Officials confirmed that no one was inside the building at the time and that no injuries were reported.
The fire remains under investigation by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Arson and Environmental Crimes Unit, the Morris County Fire Marshal’s Office, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Dover Police Department, and the Dover Fire Department.
Authorities are asking anyone with information, photos, or videos of the fire to contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Arson and Environmental Crimes Unit at 973-285-6200.
In a Facebook post following the fire, Councilman Sergio Rodriguez called on the community to support those affected.
“Please keep Mayor James P. Dodd, his business, and all our brave first responders in your thoughts and prayers tonight,” Rodriguez wrote. “Our community stands together during this difficult time.”
