Mother Killed, 2 Daughters Hurt After House Collapses In Mercer

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ — A 38-year-old woman who used herself as a shield was killed and her two daughters were hospitalized when a house collapsed in Hamilton Township Monday morning, authorities said.

The daughters were hospitalized in serious but stable condition at Capital Health Regional Medical Center, according to authorities. Her daughters are 20-years-old and 16-years-old.

The woman was identified as Tika Justice by Hamilton Fire Department Capt. Ferdi Mather. The identities of her children weren't released Monday afternoon.

The mother reportedly shielded her daughter when the house collapsed, according to NBC4.

Everyone who was in the home on the 1800 block of Broad Street at the time of the collapse was removed. The cause of the collapse was unknown, but police don't suspect any foul play was involved.

Neighbors told 6 ABC they smelled gas in the area. They said they didn't hear an explosion, but they did see the collapse.

PSE&G shut down gas service to the home, and has said the issue isn't gas related, NJ 101.5 reports. Turning off the gas is routine in situations like this.

The 20-year-old woman was rescued from the debris early on. A neighbor told NBC 10 he found a woman partially trapped in the debris when he came upon the scene at about 7 a.m. He comforted her until rescue crews arrived and were able to pull her from the building, which was a three-story house near the border with Trenton.

He said she was already on the phone with dispatchers when he arrived, and that he quickly realized he wouldn't be able to pull her from the debris by himself. She was taken to a local hospital, according to police. NJ.com reports that she suffered only minor injuries.

State police responded to the scene to assist. Streets were closed down and cordoned off in the area, according to The Trentonian.

Acting Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, who is the Department of Community Affairs commissioner, said the state is monitoring the situation to determine what caused the collapse.

“The State continues to closely monitor the situation in Hamilton Township and is availing all appropriate resources and experts to the investigation who will work to identify the cause of the house collapse. We are deeply saddened that one person has lost her life, and we extend our sincerest wishes for a full recovery to the survivors,” Oliver said.

“One of our most important jobs at the Department of Community Affairs is to help ensure that residents have a home that is safe. We will work with local, county, and other state officials to determine the cause of this morning’s collapse, and how we can prevent future occurrences.”

Photo courtesy of NBC10