Middlesex County Prosecutor Linda Estremera and Chief Peter Papa of the South Plainfield Police Department announced today that authorities are investigating a fire in which one person perished.

Today, February 4, 2026, at approximately 4:54 A.M., authorities responded to a residence on Cedarbrook Avenue in South Plainfield following a report of a structure fire. Upon their arrival, first responders located an unresponsive adult male upstairs. The adult male was pronounced deceased at the scene. There were two other adult residents who escaped with minor injuries. Three first responders sustained minor injuries as a result of the fire, they were treated and released.

The cause of death remains undetermined pending the completion of an autopsy by the Middlesex County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.

The County and State Fire Marshal’s investigation is ongoing; a preliminary investigation indicates that the cause of the fire is not suspicious in nature.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Christopher Blath of the South Plainfield Police Department at 908-755-0700 or Detective Javier Morillo of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-8843.