Woman, 50, Dog Perish In Howell Fire: Police

HOWELL, NJ -- A 50-year-old Howell woman and her dog were found dead in the wake of a house fire Tuesday afternoon in the township, Howell police said.

The name of the woman and the address of the fire were being withheld pending notification of next of kin, Howell Sgt. Christian Antunez said.

Police were called to a West Fifth Street home about 2:30 p.m. after a passer-by called to report the fire, Antunez said. The caller reported seeing windows blowing out of the house as a result of the fire in the single-story home, he said.

Howell Patrolman Thomas Matthews and the Freewood Acres Fire Company arrived and saw the rear of the house engulfed in flames, he said. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze in about 20 minutes, Antunez said.

The woman's body and that of her dog were discovered after the fire was extinguished, he said.

The cause of the fire is unknown, Antunez said, but the preliminary investigation has not revealed any evidence of suspicious activity, he said.

The investigation is being conducted by detectives from the Howell Township Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office as well as investigators from the Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office and Howell Township Fire Bureau.

The Southard, Skuankum and Adelphia Fire Departments of Howell also assisted at the scene as well as Jackson Fire Department-Station 55. Howell First Aid also responded to the scene.

"The Howell Police Department would like to extend its sympathies to the family of the deceased," Antunez said.

(Photos via Howell Township Police Communications 911 Facebook page)