South River, New Jersey – A tragic house explosion rattled a neighborhood in South River, resulting in one fatality and another individual seriously injured. The incident occurred on Continental Court off Leonardine Avenue on Thursday evening.
Authorities identified the deceased individual as 62-year-old Kevin Gilbert, a resident of South River. Gilbert was found with fatal injuries and pronounced dead at the scene. Another man involved in the explosion was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital for treatment. Initially, reports suggested two fatalities, but Mayor Peter Guindi later corrected this information.
The explosion, which occurred around 7:03 p.m., prompted an immediate response from authorities. Upon arrival, first responders discovered the two men with severe injuries from the blast. South River Fire Chief Craig Miller described the scene as the home being completely leveled, with debris littering the surrounding area.
Neighbors were safely evacuated, and the fire was eventually extinguished. Despite this, fire officials remained at the scene to assess the situation. Mayor Guindi described the aftermath as a “horrific scene,” with neighboring houses and cars sustaining damage such as blown-out windows and pushed-in garage doors.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the explosion. Motorists and pedestrians are advised to avoid the area as emergency vehicles and crews continue to access the scene. Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact South River Police or the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
This tragic event marks the second explosion in Middlesex County within consecutive days, following a similar incident in Old Bridge that claimed the life of a 73-year-old woman and injured four others. The community is left to grapple with the aftermath of these devastating incidents, prompting calls for heightened safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.