Criminal Probe Underway In Deadly, Explosive House Fire In South Jersey: What We Know

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, NJ — A criminal investigation into Sunday's deadly house fire and apparent explosion in Washington Township is underway. Two people died in the blaze, and neighbors reported hearing a very loud explosion during the incident.

Here's what we know as of noon Monday:

Fire Destroys House

Multiple people called 911 to report a loud explosion and fire at around 2 a.m. Sunday on Tranquility Court.

First responders found a fully engulfed house at 13 Tranquility Court, which appeared to be heavily damaged in an explosion.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but the house was destroyed.

2 Dead, Criminal Probe Underway

The fire killed a man and a woman, and investigators don't believe Sunday's incident was accidental, said Thomas Gilbert, chief of detectives for the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.

The prosecutor's office is leading a criminal investigation. They're awaiting autopsy results on the victims' cause and manner of death as of late Monday morning.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims.

Uncertain Timeline

Authorities are still piecing together the timeline of events. Some information suggests that the fire may have preceded the apparent explosion.

Several neighbors reported that they felt the blast, which could be heard from nearby streets.

Investigators believe that the house did not fully explode, but the blast may have contributed to the fire, which did destroy it.

"(The explosion) didn't knock the whole house down, like you see with some of the gas explosions that level a house," Gilbert told Patch on Monday. "That's not what happened here. We definitely had precipitating events as far as combustion that then turned into a very intense, high-heat fire that burned the house down."

Isolated Incident

The incident appears to be isolated, Gilbert said. Because Sunday's incident is not believed to be accidental, neighbors should not have to worry about any structural issues in their homes sparking similar fires or blasts, according to Gilbert.

The house is located on a cul-de-sac by the woods and farmland.