Woman Badly Burned in Porch Fire, Police Say

A 61-year-old Sparta Township woman is in critical condition after police found her lying near her front porch amid a small fire on Monday night, Sgt. John-Paul Beebe said.

Police received a call of a possible structure fire at 9:51 p.m. on Arapaho Trail, Beebe said. Upon arrival, the caller met officers and led them to the house being described, where they saw a small fire burning on the front porch, Beebe said.

The officers quickly extinguished the blaze and found the homeowner, Joan Polny, lying on her back next to the porch, Beebe said.

Polny’s clothes were completely burned off her body, and she suffered third degree burns to her head, face, torso, arms and legs, Beebe said. Because of the injuries, Polny was unable to speak with the officer and rescue workers to explain what had happened.

She was taken by Sparta First Aid Squad to Mohawk Avenue School, which was established as a landing zone. She was then flown to St. Baranabas hospital in Livingston.

Police found several large, lit decorative candles near the area where Polny was found, Beebe said, and while a final determination to the cause of the fire has not been made, the initial investigation suggests “this incident is a terrible accident and [there is] nothing suspicious.”

Sparta Township Police, Sussex County Fire Marshal and the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office are all investigating the incident.