Fatal Fire At Hall's Corner

A 67-year-old resident of Hall’s Corner on Cranbury Road died Saturday after a fire forced the evacuation of most of the senior citizen housing complex.

According to police, two East Brunswick District 2 firemen, Cpt. Ed Fox and Ex-Chief Rob Zelehoski, heard a woman’s cry for help during their initial search.

As they forced entry into her smoke filled apartment they found an elderly female victim laying on the floor as a result of falling out of her wheelchair. They removed her from her apartment and Patrol Officer Brian Brownlie escorted her down the stairs and outside. 

However, Thomas Dovner, whose apartment was on fire, died.

East Brunswick Police, District 2 Fire Department and EMS responded to an alarm at the Cranbury complex and upon arriving, encountered smoke. Soon after, East Brunswick Fire Department Districts 1 and 3 were dispatched. As they continued to proceed into the building the smoke got worse and they began to evacuate the facility.

The fire was located in Dovner’s second floor apartment and contained there.

The first and second floors were evacuated, as were many residents of the third and fourth floors.

The fire and Dovner's death are still under investigation by Detectives Robert Zielinski and Joseph Kowal of the Police Department and Investigator Todd O’Mally of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

The Middlesex County Fire Marshall’s Office also assisted in the investigation. The Middlesex County Medical Examiners Office responded to conduct their investigation. 

East Brunswick Office of Emergency Management, Middlesex County Emergency Management Office and the East Brunswick Rescue Squad assisted in the evacuation and shelter of the residents. The evacuated residents were transported by buses, which were supplied by the East Brunswick Board of Education, to the East Brunswick Senior Center and were refreshed by the Salvation Army who served them meals until they were allowed to return to their apartments some several hours later. 

Several EMS agencies had responded to the Hall’s Corner Senior Housing Complex to assist in the treatment and evacuation. Milltown EMS had supplied their medical trailer, Monroe EMS, Spotswood EMS, Old Bridge Township EMS, Sayreville EMS, South River EMS and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Paramedics had all responded. 

Patrol Officer Maria Herrera was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital for smoke inhalation. She was treated and released. Three residents of the Senior Center were also taken to the hospital with non-life threatening conditions.