Woman, 47, dies in fire; cause ruled accidental

BY BRIAN DONAHUE
Staff Writer

PHOTO COURTESY OF MONROE TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT Flames engulf a house on Englishtown Road in Monroe around 7:30 p.m. Jan. 3. MONROE — Authorities are continuing to investigate a fire that took the life of a 47-year-old township woman last week.

The fire took place in a two-story Englishtown Road home shortly after 7 p.m. Jan. 3, claiming the life of Elizabeth Bellavia, who reportedly moved into the house a couple days earlier to live with a friend that had rented the home for several years. A pet dog and cat also died in the fire.

Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor Ralph Cretella said yesterday the fire has been ruled as accidental in nature. He said investigators are attributing the fire to human behavior, and they hypothesize that it began as a result of something such as the “careless discard of smoking materials.”

“We’ve ruled out everything else,” Cretella said.

The fire remains under investigation by the Monroe Township Fire District 1 Fire Prevention Bureau, the Monroe Township Police Department and the county Prosecutor’s Office.

JEFF GRANIT staff A man looks into the back of the Monroe home where a 47-year-old house guest succumbed to smoke and flames the night before. Firefighters from all three township districts were dispatched to the house at 7:18 p.m. after a neighbor to the rear of the home called to report the fire.

Those responding found the single-family home already “showing heavy fire,” according to Monroe District 1 Fire Chief Joseph Sensale. Firefighters entered the dwelling to search for victims and found Bellavia lying near a bedroom door, Cretella said. The woman was carried out of the house but was pronounced dead at 8:47 p.m. by paramedics.

Cretella said an autopsy performed by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office showed Bellavia died of thermal burns and smoke inhalation.

Sensale said Monday that he could not provide further details about the fire or what firefighters observed inside the home due to the investigation.

Bellavia, who previously resided in Monroe, had moved into the house to live with her friend, Debra Lebrun, a resident there for eight years, The Star-Ledger reported. Lebrun was not home when the fire occurred.

The wood and brick house where the fire took place is one of three rental homes on the property. Neighbors who saw the fire reportedly tried to enter the home to see if anybody was inside that needed help, but were forced away by the heavy smoke.

In addition to Monroe, fire departments from Englishtown and Old Bridge responded to the fire. Helmetta, Spotswood and East Windsor fire units were on standby for Monroe during the event.

The scene was cleared by firefighters at 3:15 a.m.