Funeral Services For Hazlet Fire Victims Prompt Holmdel Road Closures

HOLMDEL, NJ — Certain roads in Holmdel will be closed for several hours Friday, Jan. 20, to accommodate large attendance at funeral services for a mother and child who died in a fire last week at their Hazlet home.

Funeral arrangements for Jackie Montanaro and her six-year-old daughter Madelyn have been handled by Holmdel Funeral Home, South Holmdel Road. Their funeral service is to be at St. Benedict's Church, 165 Bethany Road, at 10 a.m. on Friday.

The greater Hazlet and Holmdel community has been deeply affected by the deaths of the mother and daughter in a house fire in Hazlet last Friday morning. There has been a huge outpouring of emotional and financial support for the family.

A community candlelight vigil on Tuesday night in Hazlet gathered nearly 2,000 people to show support and give comfort to the family. Husband William Montanaro and daughter Elena, age 8, survived the fire. Montanaro and his daughter are now living with his parents in Holmdel.

Mrs. Montanaro was a Customs and Border Protection supervisor and a large first responder presence is also expected at the funeral, the family has said.

The following roads in Holmdel will be closed at the times listed, police said:

• South Holmdel Road between Highway 34 and Route 520 from 7 a.m. until approximately 10:30 am.
• Hillcrest Road from Bethany Road to Holmdel Road from 9 a.m. until approximately 11:30 a.m.
• Holmdel Road from Hillcrest Road to Schanck Road from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. (heavy traffic expected)
• Holmdel Road from Schanck Road to Heartland Road from 10:30 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m.
• Roberts Road from Highway 34 to Longstreet Road from 10:30 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m.

The Holmdel Township Police Department said it "thanks the community for its understanding and respectfully requests that you use alternate routes."

Detours will be in place. Please follow the posted signs and use Waze to navigate the area, police said. Police suggest passing motorists avoid these areas during the road closures if possible.