Deadly blast destroys New Jersey home: 2 dead, 2 missing and 2 juveniles hospitalized

BUENA, N.J. — Two people are dead, two are missing and two juveniles have been hospitalized after a house explosion Thursday morning in south New Jersey, police said.

The blast occurred around 10:35 a.m. local time at a home in Buena, New Jersey, according to Franklin Township Police Chief Matthew DeCesari.

DeCesari gave no cause for the explosion, which is being investigated by Franklin police with assistance from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives. Investigators may be on the scene for two more days sifting rubble, he said.

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Searchers recovered two sets of remains from the rubble of the destroyed home, and continued to look for two other people reported to have been in the home, the chief said.

The people believed to be in the home's ruins were a 2-year-old boy, a 3-year-old girl and men ages 52 and 73.

DeCesari gave no details about the remains that were recovered. He also did not address the relationship between the victims.

Two girls, ages 1½ and 16, were flown to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, a Philadelphia facility with a burn center.

The younger child was reported in critical condition, while the other was stable, DeCesari said.

"This is a criminal investigation," DeCesari said. "It is in the infant stages of that investigation, and anyInformation regarding anyone involved we are not going to release at this time.

"Our main focus right now is to attempt to recover the two out of four victims who are still missing," he said.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office and New Jersey State Police are also taking part in the investigation, DeCesari said.

Some residents in the area were evacuated from their homes, according to Franklin police, who patrol the borough.

Atlantic County's bomb squad and the state fire marshal were among emergency units that responded to the scene.

Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey 36 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.