BROWNS MILLS, N.J. (AP) - A man has been charged with arson and aggravated manslaughter in a New Jersey fire that killed his elderly mother and her companion.
The Burlington County prosecutor’s office alleges that 59-year-old Kurt Smith was in the garage with two other people Tuesday night when he “acted in a reckless manner and ignited flammable material with a cigarette lighter.”
Authorities said Smith tried unsuccessfully to extinguish the blaze, which spread quickly once the garage door was opened. Officials said George Pikunis and Lore Smith, both 92, died of smoke and soot inhalation along with thermal burns.
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Smith was flown to a Philadelphia hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. He was served with the charges there and is to be extradited upon his release; it’s unclear whether he has an attorney.
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