Woman, Pets Perish In Leisure Village West Fire

A 78-year-old Manchester woman and her pets died early Saturday morning when a fire swept through her Leisure Village West home, officials said.

Rita Hernandez was found near the front sliding doors of her Cambridge Circle home, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the prosecutor’s office.

Manchester Township police and firefighters were called to the home at 6:38 a.m. after a neighbor called 911 after smelling smoke. Upon arrival, emergency responders learned there was a person trapped and forced their way into the home and found Hernandez unresponsive, Della Fave said. She was the sole occupant of the home, he said. She later succumbed to her injuries, he said. Her cat and two birds also perished, officials said.

Surrounding residences were evacuated while the fire was extinguished by members of the Manchester, Ridgeway and Whiting Volunteer Fire Departments with the assistance of members of the Lakehurst Joint Base Fire Department, said Capt. Todd Malland of the Manchester Police Department.

A thorough scene examination was conducted by investigators including from the arson unit of the prosecutor’s office, the Ocean County Sheriff‘s Department CSI unit, and it was determined that the fire was accidental in nature, he said.

The origin of the fire is determined to be along the east knee wall in the kitchen, Della Fave said, and investigators were unable to eliminate the failure of energized electrical equipment as a cause to the fire.

Hernandez was taken to Community Medical Center by Oliveri Funeral Home for a postmortem examination, he said.

(Photo courtesy Manchester Township Police Department)