Lakewood, NJ – The fire that killed a man and gutted a Route 9 hotel early Sunday morning started in the victim’s room, authorities told the Asbury Park Press.
An investigation into the cause of the fire at the Capitol Hotel revealed that improperly discarded smoking materials could not be ruled out as a factor, said Capt. Thomas Hayes of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
The fire, which ultimately displaced 50 residents of the hotel, began in room 24 on the hotel’s third floor, Hayes said. The room’s occupant, a 56-year-old male, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination revealed he died of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, Hayes said.
Authorities are withholding the victim’s name pending notification of his family in Poland.
“We have to go through the embassy or consulate over there. It takes a while,” Hayes said.
Three Lakewood police officers – patrolmen Edward Miick, Steve Kawolski and Leonard Nieves Jr. – were released from the hospital after being treated for smoke inhalation.
(Source: APP)
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3 Responses
the guy who died was the very devoted shamas in the capitol hotel, although not jewish he always kept the shul nice and set it up before shaboss
And this is why NY state cigarettes are different. They will go out if not smoked so people who fall asleep in bed while smoking won’t burn the place down.
They’ve done the same thing to many New Jersey cigarettes. He may have been smoking a foreign brand. Sad story nonetheless. The last time I went there was to get pizza from that little place in the back a long while ago.