Alarm Boxes Dismantled

Firefighters remove 87 public alarm boxes in two days

The first signs that the public alarm system for Millburn-Short Hills would be dismantled first popped up last week. That's when firefighters bagged each of the fire boxes, which were on street corners and in front of public buildings. The system was deactivated on Thursday in preparation for removing the boxes. And now the 87 boxes have been removed, ending an era for a system that started 67 years ago when they were first installed. Fire officials intended to remove the boxes by September, but they were ahead of schedule with their plans with all of the boxes removed on Monday and Tuesday. Fire Chief Michael Roberts said the only work left is for Department of Public Works crews to remove concrete bases and replace them with dirt, …

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Police Investigating More False Alarms

Two more alarms pulled over the weekend

Millburn police are investigating two more false alarms in a long string of false alarms at the public fireboxes throughout Millburn-Short Hills. The latest alarms were pulled on Sunday night. The first was pulled at about 8:55 p.m. in front of South Mountain Elementary School on Southern Slope Drive. The second was pulled at 9:15 p.m. in front of 249 Millburn Ave. In both incidents, firefighters responded to the scene and found no one near the boxes nor any emergency, according to fire department reports. Police were notified after both incidents. Police have been investigating a number of false alarms that have been occurring mostly in the downtown area since the middle of February. The first incidents occurred during school winter break…

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Police Investigating Another False Alarm

Alarm tripped at Millburn High School

Police are investigating another false alarm, this one at Millburn High School. An alarm box was tripped at the high school on Tuesday at around 2:20 p.m. The alarm was just after school was dismissed. Police and firefighters spoke with students in the area of the alarm box after determining there was no emergency. Capt. Jim Miller, police public information officer, said investigators are working with school officials about the incident. There have not been any false alarms at the street boxes in several weeks, Miller said. Police are investigating a string of incidents where someone pulled the alarm boxes located throughout the town. The incidents mainly happened in the downtown area. The last round of incidents was at the end of …

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Police Renew Request for Public's Help on False Alarms

Five more alarms were pulled Friday and Saturday

A new string of false alarm pulls has renewed the Millburn police's call for public assistance in tracking down whoever is pulling the alarms. Police have been investigating a string of fire alarm pulls for several weeks. The most recent alarm pulls were on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, firefighters and police responded to alarm pulls at 434 Millburn Ave. at just after 8:30 p.m. and at the intersection of Main Street and Spring Street at 8:40 p.m. On Saturday, the responded to two alarm pulls within 30 minutes at Main Street and Spring Street. The first was at 8:37 p.m., and the second was just after 9 p.m. also on Saturday, the Blaine Street box was pulled at around 5 p.m. Capt. James Miller, police public information officer, said …

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Town Fire Boxes Going Away

Officials planning to dismantle the alarm boxes throughout town

The fire boxes that can be spotted around town are a throwback to a time when many homes in Millburn-Short Hills had no phones. Now those boxes will soon be something only seen in history books and museums. Millburn fire officials are planning to remove the boxes by September. The alarm boxes have been the source of news in the last week following a string of false alarms linked to several in the downtown area. Fire Chief Mike Roberts said the department has been in the process of dismantling the boxes, which were "state of the art" 67 years ago. "It was a way for people to report fires or other emergencies before most homes had phones," he said. "Now in the advent of cell phones and alarm systems, they're antiquated." People still will …

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Police Seek Assistance for Alarm Pulls

Several public alarms have been pulled throughout downtown Millburn

Police are seeking the public's assistance in investigating a string of false alarm box pulls throughout the downtown area over the last week. An alarm was pulled again on Wednesday at Willow Street and Meeker Place at just after 4:30 p.m., according to a fire department report. There was no cause for the alarm, fire officials said. It's the latest in the string of alarm pulls over the course of the last week. Two alarms were pulled on Monday without cause. Three were pulled last weekend. Three of the six alarms were pulled at 249 Millburn Ave. Police Capt. James Miller, department public information officer, said there have been no arrests yet, but detectives are following a lead. Also, if anyone sees suspicious activity near any of the …

Police Investigating String of Alarm Pulls

Two more false alarms occurred on Monday

Police are investigating a string of fire alarm pulls, and firefighters responded to two more on Monday. Firefighters responded to an alarm pull at 249 Millburn Ave. at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, a fire department report said. A passerby said they saw two juveniles pull the alarm and run through the parking lot. At just after 8 p.m., firefighters responded to a second alarm pull at Blaine Street and Church Street. The police checked the area and spoke to three teens in the park, the reports said. Police Capt. James Miller, public information officer, said no arrests have been made and there is an investigation. Firefighters responded to three false alarm pulls on Friday and Saturday, including two at 249 Millburn Ave.

Firefighters Extinguish Small Car Fire

Fire log for Feb. 16

There were no injuries in a small car fire on Hobart Avenue on Sunday night, according to a fire department report. Firefighters responded to the call at just after 7 p.m.  to find a 2008 Dodge Charger with New York plates sitting on the side of the road. The report states the driver said he saw flames under the hood and smoke came into the vehicle. Firefighters did not find any fire under the hood, the report said, but they found a small fire in the truck because of the battery and fuse box. No Injuries in Car Accident There were no injuries in a Parsonage Hill car accident on Sunday, but the telephone pole was leaning across the road, according to a department report. Firefighters responded to the accident near the Livingston border at …

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