Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Woodbridge Letter Carrier Died of Smoke Inhalation

Diane Young and her daughter died in their Middletown home early Wednesday morning.


A mother and daughter were found dead early Wednesday morning at the scene of a house fire at 30 Ideal Avenue, a street in the North Middletown section. 

The victims of the fire are Diane Young, 53, and her daughter Jacquelin, 27, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. 

The victims were the only residents in the home. Autopsies performed Wednesday for the two victims determined the cause of death was due to smoke inhalation.

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They were pronounced dead by the Monmouth County Medical Examiner's Office at 3:50 a.m.

Diane Young began working for the U.S. Postal Service in 1999, said George Flood, a spokesman for the agency. She was assigned to the Perth Amboy post office, but her route took her into the Fords section of Woodbridge, according to a report on mycentraljersey.com. 

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The fire started on the second floor bedroom of the house around 10:50 p.m. Tuesday but a cause has not yet been identified, according to Charles Webster of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. 

The fire is being investigated by the Middletown Township Fire Prevention Bureau, the Monmouth County Fire Marshall’s office, and the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office. 

According to Fire Dept. spokesman Andy Spears, when the fire was originally called in Tuesday night, the first companies to respond were East Keansburg Fire Co. and Port Monmouth Fire Co. 

Fire Dept. Chief John D'Altilio reported that the fire was put under control 30 minutes into the firefighting operation. "When the Chief arrived, he said there was fire showing, and it was pretty well involved on the second floor," said Spears.

When the fire was upgraded, Belford Engine Co. was dispatched along with the Middletown Fire Dept. Air Unit (which refills air cylinders for firefighters.) 

Several Middletown volunteer firefighters spent the night at the scene to assist the township and County Fire Marshal with their investigation. Chief D'Altilio returned home around 8 a.m.

Several First Aid squads responded, including Middletown Township First Aid & Rescue Squad and Port Monmouth First Aid Squad for EMS.


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