Neighbors, firefighters try to prevent deaths.
By: Donna Lukiw and Purvi Desai
An electrical fire in a three-unit building on South Fifth Avenue claimed the lives of Tubal Eduardo Jr., 5, Angelina Eduardo, 4, and their mother, Heather Marchie on Monday night.
The father, Tubal Eduardo Sr., and his 2-year-old son, Noah, were saved by neighbors.
Both are recovering from injuries at Somerset Medical Center.
Manville officials say the fire appears to have been caused by an electrical short-circuit, but investigators are still studying the site.
The property owner, George Kochis, who lived in the first floor of the other side of the building, and tenants Marc Frederick and Flora Vasquez, residing on the second floor, escaped without injury.
The fire at 210-212 S. Fifth Ave. started at approximately 11:30 p.m. Monday and was contained by approximately 2 a.m.
Firefighters arriving at the scene tried to rescue the family, as neighbors were helping to save Noah after a neighbor rushed into the burning house.
Nora Sarceno, who lives next door to the victims, said a neighbor from across the street rushed out with the baby, and handed him to her.
"He got the baby and was holding him like a rag doll," Ms. Sarceno said Tuesday, still shaken up. Ms. Sarceno said when Noah was passed on to her, she realized that he was not breathing.
"I gave him CPR twice," Ms. Sarceno said. "The first time he coughed up black stuff."
"My insides are still shaking," she added. "We’ve been up all night. I can’t lay down."
Ms. Sarceno said the firefighters had to force Mr. Eduardo out of the house because he didn’t want to leave his wife and children.
"They had to restrain him down the block because he didn’t want to leave his wife and babies," Ms. Sarceno said.
Mary Zurawiecky, a 48-year Manville resident who lives two houses down from the Eduardos, said the house was so engulfed in flames that there was no way to save the woman.
"You could hear the pop, pop, bang," she said. "I heard screaming, but you don’t know if it was the people outside or inside. The mother’s mother was screaming, ‘oh my baby.’"
Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest said the fire originated in the first floor living room located in the southeast portion of unit 212, where Mr. Eduardo reported he had fallen asleep on the sofa bed at approximately 9:30 p.m. Monday.
Mr. Eduardo told investigators that his wife and three children had gone to the second-floor bedrooms at approximately 8:30 p.m., and he remained in the living room eventually falling asleep on the sofa bed, Mr. Forrest said.
Mr. Eduardo said the smoke detectors woke him up later and, realizing the room was full of smoke, he headed to the second floor to get his family and found Noah on the steps.
Shortly after, parts of the second floor began collapsing into the first floor and basement in unit 212, preventing any further rescue efforts, Mr. Forrest said.
After extinguishing the fire, the bodies of the three victims were located among the debris in the first-floor living room.
According to Mr. Forrest, the fire is believed to have originated in the living room between the sofa bed and the south wall where a 15-foot long extension cord was plugged into a five-outlet power strip. A television, stereo and battery charger were plugged into the power strip
The three victims were trapped on the second floor in a bedroom directly above the room where the fire started. As the fire grew, the flames burned the floor joist to this room, causing the second floor to collapse.
Preliminary examination of the victims by the New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the victims died of smoke inhalation and burns.
Tuesday morning, the faint sound of a smoke detector still ringing inside the charred building could be heard. Still-stunned neighbors and friends of the family stood on the street.
Some of the neighbors said they would be building a shrine in front of the house.
An unidentified Hillsborough resident who said she is a friend of the family’s stood in front of the charred house, mourning the lives that were lost.
"The mother was so dedicated to her children," she said. "She had three jobs. They haven’t lived here that long. I think they just got here a year ago."
Also responding to the fire were the Manville, Finderne, Somerville, Elizabeth Avenue, East Millstone and Hillsborough No. 37 fire departments. In addition, the Manville, Somerville and Hillsborough Rescue Squads and Somerset Medical Center MICU unit also responded.
"I just think the fire responders did a fantastic job," Mayor Angelo Corradino said, who was at the scene until 4 a.m. Tuesday. "My sympathies go out to the families."
"It was just impossible," he said about the rescue efforts. "There’s no way you can avoid this again."
Weston Elementary School Principal Don Frank said Tubal Jr.’s kindergarten classmates already missed him Tuesday.
"He was a bright-eyed, smiling little fella," Mr. Frank said. "He was one of those kids that all the kids liked."
Mr. Frank said one district psychologist has been in the classrooms all day helping the children and answering any questions they may have.
"They were telling me they were going to miss him, that they already miss him," Mr. Frank said. "One child made a comment that he’s an angel now."
Mr. Frank said the school has sent a letter to parents explaining services available for any parents or students needing counseling.
PTA collecting donations
A fund to help Tubal and Noah Eduardo has been organized by the Weston School PTA after offers to help poured in to the school and the American Red Cross.
Donations can be sent to "Weston PTA Eduardo Family Fund" either in care of the school, at 600 Newark Ave., Manville, 08835, or to the Manville Area Federal Credit Union, 43 S. Main St., Manville, which has a dedicated account for the donations.
Donation can also be dropped off at the school.

