FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Raymond Worrall
PHONE: (201) 795-6400 Ext. 6737
EMAIL: rworrall@hcpo.org
TWITTER: @HCPOProsecutor
WEB: hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org
DATE: July 16, 2018
FOURTH CHILD DIES, INVESTIGATION CONTINUES IN UNION CITY FIRE
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez released the following information:
The investigation into the origin and cause of the fire at 416 25th Street in Union City on July 13, 2018, that resulted in the deaths of four children is continuing. Last night, the medical examiner pronounced the death of a fourth child, a 13-year-old boy. On Friday, July 13, 2018, a five-year-old girl and two boys, ages two and seven, were pronounced dead.
The names and ages of the children that died as a result of the fire are:
- Mayli Wood, age 5.
- Jason Gonzalez, age 2.
- Christian Josue Mendez, age 7.
- Jose Felipe Tejada, age 13.
Seven people were injured in the fire including the four fatalities. One additional child, a four-year-old girl, remains in critical condition in Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. An adult female and an adult male are in stable condition. Additionally, eight firefighters were transported by Emergency Medical Services to area hospitals where they were treated for various minor injuries.
A preliminary investigation determined that the fire began at 416 25th Street. A residential building located at 414 25th Street also sustained damage from the fire. The investigation into the origin and cause of the fire is pending, but arson investigators have determined that the fire originated on the first floor of the three-story residence.
The Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit and the Union City Police Department are actively investigating this incident with assistance from the NJ State Fire Marshals Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 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.