Natural Gas Explosion Sparked Fatal Lakewood Fire: Prosecutor

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A Lakewood man died Wednesday after he was injured in a natural gas explosion that led to a fire at his apartment, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday.

Ronald Prichard, 67, was seriously injured in the explosion that caused a structure fire at the Lakewood Housing Authority building on Sampson Avenue, the prosecutor's office said.

He was taken to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, where he later succumbed to his injuries, authorities said.

Investigators determined the origin of the explosion happened in the bedroom and was caused by the release of natural gas to an open flame, authorities said.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Lakewood Township Police Department, Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, collaborated on the investigation.