STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ — A fatal residential fire that claimed the life of a 92-year-old woman has been ruled accidental, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
The fire occurred on Feb. 13, 2026, at approximately 1:20 a.m. on Yeoman Road.
Stafford Township Police and Fire Departments responded to reports of a structure fire with heavy fire conditions and entrapment.
Two individuals were able to escape the fire.
The first individual was transported to Temple University Burn Center in Philadelphia and is listed in stable condition.
The second individual was transported to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and is also listed in stable condition.
Betty Matero, 92, of Stafford Township, was unable to escape and succumbed to her injuries.
An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Stafford Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Stafford Township Fire Prevention Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit determined the fire originated on the southeast exterior wall within an outdoor storage container.
The cause of the fire was ruled accidental, likely resulting from a failure of lithium-ion batteries.
A post-mortem examination performed Feb. 13, 2026, by the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Matero’s cause of death to be smoke inhalation, with the manner of death ruled accidental.
