Probe continues into Hamilton Twp. townhouse fire; both victims were adults
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP - The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office is still investigating the fire and death of two individuals in a Hamilton townhouse on Wednesday afternoon.
The prosecutor's office confirmed Thursday afternoon that the victims were adults.
The Laydon Court home at the Oakcrest Estates complex was still corded off by yellow police tape on Thursday while Hamilton Township police officers monitored the site. It was unclear what started the fire. The prosecutor’s office has not released the names of the victims but said a statement about the case will be released later today.
The two died Wednesday afternoon when fire ripped through their townhouse in the Oakcrest Estates development.
The fire in the three-story, four-bedroom home started at about 2 p.m. and burned from the second floor up, said Chief Dave Connelly of the Mays Landing Fire Company. The building was completely gutted, and the house next door also suffered some damage.......Contine reading and watch video
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More than 50 firefighters from four companies fought the blaze, which was brought under control in about 45 minutes. Firefighters had to gain access to the flames by going to the third floor of the adjacent home and knocking down a wall.
Madelaine Vitale, a spokeswoman for Atlantic County Prosecutor Ted Housel, confirmed Wednesday night that two people were dead, but offered no further information about the victims. The Major Crimes, Arson and Forensics teams all responded, but it was "way too early to come to any preliminary conclusions," Vitale said.
Neighbors said they saw the smoke and flames and knocked on the door to see if anyone was home, but got no answer.
Angel Mojica, who lives across the road, said he was helping his sister Evette move into her new home nearby when they both smelled the smoke. Mojica said he immediately ran over to the burning house.
"I was banging on the door, screaming and hollering, 'Is anyone here?'" Mojica said.
But he got no answer, and then he saw the police arrive, Mojica said.
Evette Mojica said she spoke with the mother of the family that lived in the townhouse a few times, because their daughters were the same age and went to school together.
"I'm devastated," Evette Mojica said. "This was supposed to be the best day of my life. I'm moving to a new home ... and this lady lost everything."
Next-door neighbor Kinglee Dunlap said he was home on his day off watching television, when he smelled the smoke and went outside.
"I called 911. I saw the flames up at the top part of the house," said Dunlap, who was one of those evacuated. It was his wall firefighters broke through to get to the fire.
Dunlap said he knocked on the door, but no one answered.
Asked what he would do if he couldn't go home, Dunlap said, "I don't know. I'll look to God and the church."
Dunlap said he didn't know the occupants very well, but his son went to school with one of the daughters. The family had just moved in within the last month.
Kiara McGill, 14, and Jocelyn Lugo, 13, who live in the Oakcrest complex and watched the investigation, said there were five girls in the family, a 14-year-old, a 12-year-old and three younger children. They are friends with the older girls, who were new to the William Davies Middle School.
As youngsters got off an arriving school bus, police pulled two girls aside and they burst into tears.
McGill and Lugo said they wanted to make signs for their friends expressing sympathy and saying that they could stay at their homes.
"That's really sad," said McGill, who wanted to give the girls hugs. "I'm not going to expect them at school."
Keyveat James, who lives two doors away, said Wednesday night that he got a call from his mother saying the nearby house was on fire. He got home and saw the flames.
He didn't know the family except to see the children going in and out on their way to school, James said.
Although his home was not damaged, his family was evacuated at least for the night, James said. He and his mother were staying with a relative in Atlantic City, and his nephew was staying with a friend in Mays Landing so he could go to school.
In addition to the Mays Landing Fire Company, firefighters from Cologne, Laureldale and Cardiff fought the fire, and the Dorothy Fire Company covered the Mays Landing station, Connelly said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation by Hamilton Township police and the Prosecutor's Office, Connelly said.
Smoke started coming from the house again in the late afternoon, and at 9 p.m. firefighters were still trying to put out hot spots, Connelly said.
The cold weather became a factor after 6 p.m., when water on the ground started to freeze, Connelly said. The township Public Works Department placed salt on the road.
The block of Laydon Court where the fire took place was closed to traffic, as was a large stretch of Oakcrest Drive, while firefighters were at the scene. When school let out and buses full of children arrived, police escorted the children through the fire area. Some parents came to meet them and other children walked to their homes on their own.
Call Recording
This is a VOX recording.
It is condensed and not in real time.
E-mail Michelle Lee: MLee@pressofac.com
This story was taken from the news source stated above. It is not the opinion of The Elwood Vol. Fire Company or it's members.
