Early morning house fire in Hazlet kills woman, young child

HAZLET - A fire that swept through a Brookside Avenue home early Friday claimed the lives of a woman and young child, a spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Saturday.

“Although we do not believe the fire is suspicious in nature, the fire is under active investigation,’’ said Christopher Swendeman, spokesman for the prosecutor’s office.

He said the office has no further comment at this time. He did not identify the victims, exept to say they are a woman and young child.

The fire broke out shortly after midnight, drawing a response of firefighters, police and emergency medical technicians from the township and surrounding areas, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.

Two victims were trapped inside the home and taken to a hospital, and a firefighter was also injured, the sheriff’s office said. 

Mutual aid fire companies and emergency medical technicians from Keansburg, Keyport, Union Beach, Holmdel, Middletown, Tinton Falls and Monmouth County’s EMS Task Force were on  scene to assist township firefighters with fire suppression and rescue efforts, the sheriff’s office said. 

The fire gutted one side of the two-story home and burned through the roof of the other side of the sprawling residence. It also charred a sport-utility vehicle parked in the driveway.

Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.