Prosecutor: Body of man found in Manchester house fire
Prosecutors say the man’s deceased body was discovered within the collapsed area of the structure.
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A man’s body was found inside a Manchester home that was destroyed by a fire on Monday, according to prosecutors.
Police had been searching for the homeowner who neighbors say is in his 60s and has mobility issues.
Officials determined the fire started on the front porch of the home on Laketree Court. The fire spread to the rest of the house so fast that the house was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived less than 10 minutes later.
RELATED: Fire destroys home in Manchester Township; authorities search for homeowner
Officials say the man’s deceased body was discovered Tuesday within the collapsed area of the structure. They say the man’s body was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River for a postmortem examination and identification.
Prosecutors say parts of the first and second floors of the structure had collapsed into the basement. They say when officers were dispatched to the scene, it was deemed unsafe to continue the fire investigation until daylight hours.
The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental. Officials say improperly discarded smoking material cannot be eliminated.
