TOMS RIVER, NJ (OCEAN)–On Monday, August 9, 2021, at approximately 7:00 AM, police and fire units were dispatched to Route 571 near Oak Ridge Parkway for a motor vehicle accident with entrapment and a vehicle fire. Claudine Silvestri, 52 of Toms River, was traveling westbound on route 571 in the left lane when she suddenly drifted into the right lane and struck a curb and a guard rail according to a witness. The vehicle then veered to the left and entered the oncoming traffic lanes where she collided head-on with a sign truck before her vehicle caught fire.
Upon arrival, Police officers and EMTs extinguish the fire. Ms. Silvestri was trapped inside and had to be extricated from the vehicle. She was pronounced at the scene.
Along with Toms River Police, Toms River EMT‘s, Pleasant Plains and Silverton Fire Companies, the Ocean County Prosecutor‘s Office, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI, and Berkeley Hazmat reported to the accident scene.
The accident remains under investigation by Toms River Traffic Safety Officers Mark Nater and Ryan Fitzgerald.
August 9, 2021 — Updated with Hamilton Township Police Press Release Below:
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–The Hamilton Township Fire Department responded to a serious house fire around 4:45 a.m. 61 Lenox Avenue. When firefighters arrived they reported a heavy fire in a two story wood frame home and a full first alarm was called. By 5:20 a.m. the firefighters had the majority of the fire knocked down and were still hitting hot spots. The fire was under control around 5:40 a.m.
Fire investigators were on scene most of the morning investigating the fire.
Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri told MidJersey.news that a 23-year-old man died in the fire and was the only person in the house at time of the fire. No further information is available at this time.
Updated 7:30 p.m. –Hamilton Township Police Press Release set out this evening:
Hamilton, NJ: On August 9, 2021, at approximately 04:45 hours, Hamilton Police were detailed to 61 Lenox Ave. on a reported structure fire. Responding officers and fire personnel arrived on scene and observed the rear of the residence to be fully engulfed in flames.
The fire was reported to be extinguished at approximately 05:40 hours. Detectives from both the Hamilton Police Division and the Mercer County Prosecutors Office reported that a deceased 23 year old male was located in an upstairs bedroom of the residence after the fire was extinguished.
This incident is still under investigation with the Hamilton Police Division and the Mercer County Prosecutors Office. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective Frank Burger of the Criminal Investigations Section at (609) 581-4010 or via email at fburger@hamiltonpd.org. The public can also leave a message on the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at (609) 581-4008.
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