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Keith Scherer, 45, of Hewitt, was burning wood and debris in a fire pit behind his Lakeside Road home when the brush caught fire and flames spread up the hill in the Hewitt section of West Milford, a little over a half-mile from the New York State border, shortly before 12:30 p.m., March 18, responders had told Daily Voice.
Scherer was processed on Tuesday on charges of arson, criminal mischief and aggravated assault to emergency services personnel, West Milford Police Detective Sgt. Matthew Kloo said.
He also received a township ordinance summons for illegally burning debris in an unapproved container and was released pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Paterson, the sergeant said.
Township police, firefighters and residents tried to stop the fire from spreading, but it continued to expand, engulfing one home and damaging two others. It took several hours before it was fully extinguished.
Along with the two firefighters who were brought to Chilton Medical Center in Pequannock -- one with a knee injury, the other with chest pains -- was a third who was treated at the scene, responders said.
The first house involved caught fire on Kushaqua Trail North and was gutted as EMS was requested and tanker trucks were called out, responders said. The second home had exterior damage and the third sustained deck and shed damage, they said.
Firefighters from Orange County rushed to provide mutual aid.
The West Milford Fire Marshal, West Milford Detective Bureau, NJ State Forest Fire Service and NJ State Fire Marshal investigated.
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