The residence on Brookside Avenue was engulfed in flames during the early hours of 2 weeks ago morning.
According to William Montanaro, his wife Jackie Montanaro, who was 40 years old, hurried back into the house to rescue their youngest daughter, Madelyn.
William and their 8-year-old daughter Elena managed to flee from the scene.
“I am heartbroken. I have lost the love of my life – my beautiful wife, Jackie – and my sweet, loving, spunky little girl, Madelyn,” Montanaro said in a statement.
He mentioned that his wife was a dedicated officer of the Customs and Border Protection, and regarded her as a hero.
According to him, as he hurried back inside the house to retrieve Madelyn, he found himself surrounded by dense, scorching black smoke.
Without any hesitation, Jackie stormed into action, fueled by both a mother’s love and the bravery of a police officer, as she tried to rescue our daughter.
Duchess, the family’s cherished Goldendoodle, tragically perished in the fire. The family expressed their gratitude towards everyone who assisted in spreading information about her and physically scouring for her.
“We are extremely devastated Duchess is no longer with us, but we must remember she is now at rest alongside Jackie and Madelyn,” the family said in a statement.
According to Hazlet Deputy Mayor Peter Terranova, the community is akin to a close-knit family, and they have been flooded with an outpouring of support.
The family members who were displaced by the blaze are being aided by Monmouth County and various community groups, who are currently accepting donations. The family has already received over $225,000 in donations through a GoFundMe campaign.
According to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, there is no indication of suspicious activity regarding the fire.