HILLSIDE, NJ – Police in Hillside have reported the death of a 56-year-old Union County man who died after suffering severe burns while lighting a fire in his fire pit. Police officers arrived at 4 pm on Monday at a home and the man had suffered burns on 75 percent of his body. It is suspected that the man used an accelerant to start the fire which created a fireball that caused the injuries.
Hillside Police Det. Natalie Ogonowski said the man was pronounced dead from a possible explosion that occurred when he tried to light the fire.