NJ woman dies along with 'many cats' in burning home she threatened to blow up after being evicted
MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY: A New Jersey woman was found dead, along with "many cats," in the house she reportedly threatened to blow up when she was evicted. A SWAT unit from the New Jersey State Police arrived at the unnamed victim's house in Roosevelt, New Jersey just after 11 am on Wednesday, March 1, as per the Asbury Park Press. According to reports, the victim had resided in the property for a while and the owner intended to sell it.
The online footage from a bird's-eye view reveals the roaring flames the cops came across when they arrived at the scene. "We're getting reports that the resident turned on the gas of the residence prior to igniting," New Jersey State Police Lt Lawrence Peele said, CBS News reported. The neighbor told that her own home was also rendered "unlivable" due to the fire next door.
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'They told us to leave'
The woman who was residing in the Cedar Court property received an eviction notice from the owner but she refused to leave and threatened to blow up the house which eventually unfolded, according to New Jersey State Police, CBS News reported. Police said that during their pre-drama confrontation with the woman, neighbors were evacuated. One of those neighbors, Erin Luca, told the same outlet: "They knocked on our door this morning. Thank God it was a pretty loud knock. I grabbed [my son]. They told us to leave. She was threatening with a bomb or to bomb the house and ended up with a fire." The home's walls and roof have totally burned down, leaving nothing but a shell of what it once was. Moreover, Emma Quackenbush, who spent more than 20 years living in the adjoining flat, said on local radio that the fire had destroyed everything. She said: "It looks like my house is gone. It’s still standing but it’s not liveable."
A third local resident said it was the woman's boyfriend that had tried for several years to get her evicted, but his "efforts had been hindered" by the local governor's "pandemic-era eviction moratorium," DailyStar reported. Firefighters were immediately rushed to the scene, but they were unable to save the woman from the fire. The house was severely damaged and it will be uninhabitable going forward.
The woman allegedly had 30 cats
According to NBC News, the woman and up to 30 cats were still present in the house. Sgt Philip Curry stated that although it is unknown how many animals were killed in the fire, officials do suspect that they did. The slain woman looked after pets for other individuals.