By: Richard L. Smith
A tragic fire that broke out Thursday afternoon in Moonachie has claimed the life of a 70-year-old man, according to a statement released by Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella.
The blaze occurred around 4:30 p.m. on April 10 in the backyard of a single-family home on Oak Street.
Moonachie police and fire departments responded swiftly to the scene, with mutual aid from the Wood-Ridge Fire Department and other neighboring agencies as the fire escalated to two alarms.
Emergency crews discovered the body of an adult male, later identified as Ida Kaba, near the entrance of a backyard shed that had caught fire.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife, 67-year-old Dzurie Kaba, sustained non-life-threatening injuries while trying to rescue her husband.
She was treated at the scene by Moonachie Fire Department personnel and Emergency Medical Services.
Following the incident, the Moonachie Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad, which launched a joint investigation alongside the Moonachie Police Department, Fire Department, and Fire Prevention Bureau.
After a thorough examination, investigators from the Bergen County Arson Squad concluded that the fire was not suspicious in nature.
The investigation was conducted under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck of the Prosecutor’s Office and Chief Richard Behrens of the Moonachie Police Department.