A 92-year-old woman died after a house fire tore through a Stafford Township home early Friday, in what investigators now say was a lithium-ion battery-related blaze that started in an outdoor storage area. Two other people made it out of the home and were rushed to Philadelphia-area burn centers, where officials say they remain in stable condition.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said emergency crews were called shortly after 1:20 a.m. for a report of a residential structure fire on Yeoman Road, arriving to find heavy flames and reports of someone trapped inside. According to a preliminary investigation, two occupants were able to escape, but a third, identified as 92-year-old Betty Matero, could not be rescued and later died of her injuries. The two survivors were taken to Temple University Burn Center and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and are listed in stable condition, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.
NBC10 Philadelphia reported that investigators determined the fire began inside an outdoor storage container and was "likely resulting from a failure of lithium-ion batteries." That account aligns with officials' findings as they wrapped up their on-scene work.
Investigation Finds Battery Failure In Outdoor Container
A multi-agency investigation that included the Ocean County Prosecutor's Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Stafford Township police and fire departments, the Ocean County Fire Marshal's Office and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit concluded the fire started on the southeast exterior wall of the home, inside an outdoor storage container, and that the cause was accidental. The Ocean County Medical Examiner performed a post-mortem examination and ruled Matero's cause of death to be smoke inhalation, with the manner of death accidental, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.
A Pattern Of Battery-Related Fires In The Region
Lithium-ion battery incidents have already been raising alarms across New Jersey, including a four-alarm scrapyard fire in Camden last year reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. Earlier this month, state officials followed up with a public-nuisance lawsuit that claims a scrap recycler's facilities have seen numerous hazardous fires and asks a court to order corrective measures, as detailed by State Impact Center.
Fire officials note that lithium-ion batteries can enter a dangerous "thermal runaway" state if damaged or stored improperly, which can lead to fast-moving, hard-to-control fires. The U.S. Fire Administration publishes safety guidance on handling and storing these batteries, and recycling programs such as Call2Recycle list drop-off locations along with instructions on how to secure battery terminals before disposal.
Prosecutor Billhimer publicly thanked the local and county agencies that investigated the fire. Officials emphasized that Matero's death has been ruled accidental and pointed to the incident as a stark reminder of the risks posed by lithium-ion batteries that are stored or discarded without proper precautions.
