Stafford Township, NJ – A fast-moving house fire tore through a Yeoman Road home early Friday morning, leaving one 92-year-old woman dead and sending two others to Philadelphia burn centers as flames consumed the structure before firefighters could fully contain it.
Emergency crews were dispatched at approximately 1:20 a.m. to reports of a residential structure fire with possible entrapment. When first responders arrived, they encountered heavy fire conditions. Two individuals managed to escape the home. One was transported to Temple University Burn Center and the other to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Both were listed in stable condition.
A third occupant, identified as 92-year-old Betty Matero, was unable to exit the residence. She succumbed to her injuries at the scene.
A joint investigation determined the fire originated along the southeast exterior wall of the home, specifically inside an outdoor storage container. Authorities concluded the blaze was accidental and likely caused by a failure involving lithium-ion batteries.
On Friday, the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted a post-mortem examination. The cause of death was determined to be smoke inhalation, and the manner of death was ruled accidental.
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Multi-agency probe determines accidental cause
The investigation was carried out by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Stafford Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Stafford Township Fire Prevention Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit. Their findings formally classified the incident as an accidental Stafford Township fire.
- Fire reported at approximately 1:20 a.m. on Yeoman Road
- Two residents escaped and remain hospitalized in stable condition
- Investigation determined accidental ignition linked to lithium-ion battery failure
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that the extensive review of the scene and forensic evidence supported the conclusion that the blaze began outside the residence before spreading, ultimately trapping Matero inside.
Ongoing fire safety awareness in Stafford Township
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