photos courtesy of Al Hoffman
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgefield NJ, Investigators probing a three-alarm inferno that engulfed a former bed-and-breakfast in Ridgefield made a grim discovery: a body amidst the charred remains.
The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, was found on the main floor of the building following the fire outbreak at 2:21 a.m. on Wednesday. The blaze razed the former Toddle Inn on Broad Avenue.
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the following information:
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Ridgefield Police Department are investigating a fatal fire that occurred at 850 Broad Avenue, Ridgefield, NJ. On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at approximately 2:21 a.m., the Ridgefield Police Department received a report of a fire at 850 Broad Avenue. Ridgefield Police officers responded along with members of the Ridgefield Fire Department. Fire suppression efforts were conducted with assistance from area fire departments, and a body was located within the main floor of the residence. A search of the fire scene by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Task Force is ongoing.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Acting Chief Matthew Finck and the Ridgefield Police Department under the direction of Chief Thomas Gallagher. No additional information is available at this time.
A meticulous search of the site by the arson task force from the prosecutor’s office continued on Wednesday, in tandem with an ongoing investigation conducted by the prosecutor and the Ridgefield Police Department.
Battalion Chief Scott Russo of Ridgefield described the aftermath as a scene of utter devastation, with only rubble left in the wake of the conflagration that fully consumed the structure.
“The building was so engulfed that there was no way for us to gain access,” he remarked.
Deputy Chief Gary Bonacci noted that the building had been unoccupied for several months, devoid of gas or electricity. Russo added that precautions had been taken prior to the fire, with the boarding up of doors and windows to deter trespassers.
Firefighters faced a formidable challenge, battling the blaze for approximately 45 to 50 minutes. Despite the intensity of the inferno, none of the responders sustained injuries during the operation.
Bonacci commended the coordinated efforts of the emergency responders, emphasizing their swift and effective control of the blaze.
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