Husband and wife die in Montgomery house fire

Authorities point to wood stove as cause.

By: Kara Fitzpatrick
   MONTGOMERY — Tragedy struck early Wednesday morning in a small mint-green residence off Route 601 when a retired elderly couple lost their lives as a result of a "very intense fire," said Police Director Michael Beltranena.
   The victims, Joseph and Jane Palecek, both 90, died as a result of severe burns, Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest said.
   Mr. Forrest said a wood stove igniting nearby materials likely caused the fire, which is believed to be accidental.
   Just before 2:30 a.m., a motorist called police to report the fire. The first responding officers attempted to enter the house, but they were unsuccessful.
   "When the officers arrived, they were unable to gain entry to the house because of the intense heat flame," said Mr. Beltranena. He added that at that time it was believed that there were people inside.
   When the flames were extinguished — just before 3 a.m., according to Fire Company No. 2 Chief Connie Kelly — the victims were found inside the remains of the house. One was on the living room floor by the door and the other on a bed.
   The bodies were removed from the scene by the New Jersey State Regional Medical Examiner’s Office and taken to Newark for autopsy purposes, according to Mr. Forrest.
   Now, all that is left in the one-bedroom home, nestled behind a barricade of pines next to Hidden Spring Farm, north of the Skillman post office, is charred wood and fragments of the green paint that, just days ago, decorated the house. A thin line of yellow police tape shields the devastated dwelling from the road.
   "The home is on the ground, leveled," said Ms. Kelly.
   "It was a fairly old house, a small house," said Emergency Medical Services Captain Rob Giguere. "It went up very quickly. By the time police arrived, they reported it as engulfed."
   Charles and Paulette Faherty, who lived across the street from the couple, said they were awakened early Wednesday morning by police inquiring if there might be someone in the burning house. The Fahertys told police about the Paleceks living there. They watched as the blaze consumed the house.
   Ms. Faherty said the couple was "very old, very sick" and had been using alternative heat sources since Mr. Palecek disconnected the internal system and began using a wood stove.
   "They didn’t have any heat in the house," said Ms. Faherty. "They used a wood stove for heat." Being 90, she said, "it was difficult for (Mr. Palecek) to manage that."
   Ms. Faherty said her husband had befriended Mr. Palecek in his old age and often would bring the paper over and assist the couple with transportation, since Mr. Palecek had recently lost his license.
   Mr. Giguere said the Fire Department had responded to the home before.
   "They would heat with the kitchen stove some of the time," said Chief Kelly of Fire Company No. 2. "So they would put a call in for us to come and check it (to make sure it was off). That was really just related to their age," said Chief Kelly.
   The investigation is continuing by police and the Somerset County Arson Task Force. Anyone with information is asked to contact the police at (908) 359-3222 or the Arson Task Force at (908) 575-3301.