BUENA, NJ (CBS) – A fourth body has been recovered in Atlantic County as the crew returned to the place of a deadly house explosion. Officials said the last two bodies were recovered Friday after the devastating blast.
The explosion occurred just after 10:30 a.m. Thursday. It reduced the house to rubble.
A 1-year-old who was burned in the blast is fighting for her life and a 16-year-old will be fine.
According to a release from the Franklin Township Police Department, an early investigation found that the fire was the result of a confirmed explosion in the house. Officials were also able to confirm that all four people were missing at the time of the explosion.
Originally, four people were missing after the explosion: a 2-year-old boy, a 3-year-old girl, a 52-year-old man and a 73-year-old. All bodies have been recovered.
Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the explosion.
Local residents who visited the crime scene described what they thought were frightening moments when that blast happened Thursday morning.
As flames ripped through her neighbor’s house after an explosion, Eileen Botbyl started tearing up when she learned that there were children in this house.
“My 13-year-old son came home from his hockey game and I was in tears,” said Botbyl. “I ran up the driveway and hugged him, and I was like, ‘I love you baby. I just need a hug right now.'”
Eduardo Lebron says the people living in the house are his cousins.
“We ran across the street and when we realized it was our family’s home, we sprang into action,” said Lebron.
He says his son helped pull out a one-year-old girl, then ran back with a neighbor to help a teen.
“They carried her outside and took her across the street and then a second explosion happened, so there was no way back in,” Lebron said.
The toddler and teen are recovering at Saint Christopher’s in Philadelphia. Lebron says both are expected to survive.
As police continue what they describe as a criminal investigation into the cause of this explosion, Lebron is urging people to do what his neighbor, Botbyl, did when she hugged her son.
“Love your family and your friends and love your people man,” Lebron said. “Just hug your people really tight man, because they’re going about their natural day and things happen, you know, life is short, man.”
Police expect to be on the scene for several days.
They’ve enlisted ATF and FBI agents to help with the investigation.
Brandon Goldner
