FOUR DEAD IN BUENA HOUSE EXPLOSION
Official Press Release from Franklin Township (Gloucester County) Police Department 8/4/2023
Buena, NJ- On Thursday, August 3 at 10:35 am the Franklin Township Police Department was
dispatched to the 300 block of Northwest Boulevard for a report of a dwelling fire with
reported entrapment. The first responding officers were on scene within three minutes of
being dispatched and reported the residential dwelling was fulling engulfed in flames. Fire
crews from around the area were dispatched to fight the blaze. Officers from the Franklin
Township Police Department and New Jersey State Police were able to rescue a 16 year old
female and one year old female from the property after 2 civilians pulled them from the fire.
Both victims were flown to St. Christopher’s Medical Center with severe burns. The 16 year old
female remains in stable condition and the one year remains in critical condition as of 3 pm on
August 4, 2023.
Investigators were called to the scene from the Franklin Township Police Department and
Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office. Initial investigation revealed that the dwelling fire was the
result of a confirmed explosion inside of the residence. Investigators were also able to confirm
that four victims who were inside the residence at the time of the explosion were currently
missing. Those missing victims included two infant children and two adult males. Once the
scene was deemed safe by fire personnel, rescue crews immediately began recovery efforts in
an attempt to locate the missing victims.
As of 8 pm on August 3rd three of four missing victims had been located by rescue crews and
the assistance of a New Jersey State Police K-9 unit. Those victims were deceased. The fourth
victim was located at approximately 2 pm on August 4th at the base of the demolished structure by rescue crews and was also deceased. The victims were removed from the scene by the Atlantic County Medical Examiner’s Office.
At this time the incident is being investigated by the Franklin Township Police Department and
Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office to determine the cause of the explosion. When information
becomes available as to the cause it will be released to the public.
Assisting at the scene was ATF, FBI, New Jersey State Police, Monroe Township Police
Department, Clayton Police Department, Vineland Police Department, Gloucester County
Emergency Response, Atlantic County Emergency Response, OLogtgWFire Department, Buena
Office of Emergency Management and multiple fire agencies from across the area.
Mayor David Cappagjeughas released a statement in part offering the full support and deepest
sympathy’s of the Buena Borough Council and has spoken to the family to ensure them that the investigators assigned to this case are working diligently to provide them with some sort of
closure.
Any further press inquires can be directed to Chief Matthew DeCesari at
mdecesari@franklintownship.com