Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on February 13, 2026, at approximately 1:20 a.m., the Stafford Township Police and Fire Departments responded to a residential structure fire on Yeoman Road. Responding emergency personnel discovered heavy fire conditions and reports of entrapment. Preliminary investigation revealed that two individuals were able to escape the fire. The first individual was transported to Temple University Burn Center in Philadelphia where he is listed in critical condition. The second individual was transported to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and is likewise listed in critical condition. A third individual, a 92-year-old female, was unable to escape the fire and succumbed to her injuries.
The origin and cause of the fire are currently under investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Stafford Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Stafford Township Fire Prevention Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit.