By: Richard L. Smith
Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald has announced an ongoing investigation into a deadly fire that occurred overnight on Thanksgiving Day in Franklin Township.
According to Prosecutor McDonald, the incident happened on Thursday, November 23, 2023, at around 11:49 p.m. Franklin Township Firefighters, assisted by local police, responded to a report of a fire at a single-family residence on Amwell Road.
On arrival, the team found the house fully engulfed in flames.
After the firefighters extinguished the blaze, they discovered the remains of an individual inside the residence.
A team comprising members of the Somerset County Fire Investigation Unit, Franklin Township Police Detectives, and Investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiners Office was dispatched to the scene.
Early findings suggest the house was occupied by a single person at the time of the fire. The identity of the deceased is pending confirmation from the Medical Examiner's Office.
Several fire companies, including Middlebush Fire, Millstone Valley Fire, Somerset Fire and Rescue Company, Elizabeth Avenue Fire, Community Fire and Rescue, Woods Road Fire, and Hillsborough Fire, responded to the emergency.
The Somerset County Communications Center played a crucial role in dispatch and logistics during the incident.
Prosecutor McDonald, Chief Roman, and Director Maeweather are urging anyone with information about this incident to come forward.
People can contact the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Fire Investigation Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-5533 with any relevant information.