Homeless Man Dies In Fire

May 3, 2021 — Updated with Trenton Police information:

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)-On Monday, May 3, 2021, Trenton Police Sergeant Charles Fackenthall was on patrol when he noticed smoke coming from vacant houses at 426 and 428 N. Clinton Ave. The Trenton Fire Department responded to extinguish the fire. While doing so they recovered a deceased victim from 430 N. Clinton Ave, which by that point was also engulfed. Due to the injuries, the victim has not been identified yet, but is believed to be a male of unknown age. The Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office took possession of the victim and will attempt to determine an identity. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but arson is not suspected at this time. If anyone has any information we ask that they contact Detective Sergeant Greg Holly at ghollo@trentonpolice.net

This Morning’s MidJersey.news story here:

According to city officials a homeless man is dead this morning that was found in an abandoned row house fire at 426-428-430 North Clinton Avenue.

It was reported the fire started around 3:15 am and that the Trenton Fire Department responded to the scene and took about 40 minutes to bring the flames under control.

Neighbors witnessed the man being pulled from the building by the Trenton Fire Department. One neighbor that lives on Filmore Street told MidJersey.news that is at least the 3rd time the fire department responded to that abandoned property and complained of a number vagrants always using the property.

A neighbor from Poplar Street told MidJersey.news that the homeless man is regularly seen sitting on the front steps of the property and was a real nice person and talked to everyone on the street that walked by. She said he has help the man with some food before. The neighbor said that there are too many abandoned properties in the City and those abandoned buildings need to be knocked down.

City officials said that the cause of the fire has not been determined.