An “elderly couple” died in an early morning fire at 3 Islandview Court in Bayonne, with dozens of other residents left at least temporarily homeless, authorities said.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force and Bayonne Fire Department are investigating a fire at 3 Island View Court in which an elderly couple has died. More information to follow,” the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office tweeted this morning.
This morning at approximately 1:50 a.m., the Bayonne Police and Fire Departments responded to multiple reports of a fire at 3 Islandview Court, HUdson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said in a statement.
Upon arrival, first responders observed a fire in Unit 236 in Building 2 and actively worked to contain and extinguish the fire.
Two victims were discovered upon a search of Unit 236. An unresponsive female victim, 75,
and an unresponsive male victim, 65, were found in the unit.
They were both transported by Emergency Medical Services to Bayonne Medical Center where they were later pronounced dead. They have been identified as Balbina Macchio and John Macchio, a married couple who resided in Unit 236, authorities said.
A preliminary investigation by the Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force and Bayonne Fire Department has determined that the origin of the fire was in the kitchen of Unit 236.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
All 12 units in the building were affected by the fire and a total of 32 occupants have been
displaced — 28 adults and four children.
The Regional Arson Task Force is actively investigating this incident with assistance from the Bayonne Fire Department.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office at 201-915-1345 or leave an anonymous tip on the Hudson County
Prosecutor’s Office website at http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/.
All information will be kept confidential.
Editor’s note: This story was updated with new information.Â
65 is NOT elderly!