Woman Dies In Accidental Apartment Fire At The Jersey Shore

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River woman died Friday when a fire broke out in her apartment, authorities said.

Barbara Booker, 67, was identified Sunday as the victim of the fire that was reported about 11:20 p.m. on Friday, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

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Toms River police and firefighters were called to the Highland Plaza Apartments on Highland Parkway and found smoke coming from a second-story apartment, the prosecutor's office said.

During a search of the apartment firefighters found Booker's body on the floor of the living room, the prosecutor's office said.

The investigation found the fire started on a couch along the east wall of the living room, the prosecutor's office said. The cause was determined to be accidental due to careless smoking, authorities said.

An autopsy on Saturday determined Booker died of smoke inhalation because of the fire.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Toms River police and the Bureau of Fire Prevention, and Ocean County Medical Examiner's Office cooperated in the investigation.