N.J. man, 60, severely burned in fire in garage converted to apartment

A 60-year-old man was hospitalized after being severely burned Thursday night in a garage that had been converted into an apartment in Aberdeen, Monmouth County, the township police chief said.
The victim was flown by helicopter to a regional burn center in Staten Island after the blaze in his home. The man had burns on his face, hands and arms, and he was listed in stable condition as of Saturday, Aberdeen Police Chief Matthew Lloyd told NJ Advance Media.
A helicopter landed at the nearby Matawan-Aberdeen Middle School to transport the victim.
The fire was out in under 15 minutes after being reported at 8:14 p.m. in the 400 block of Amboy Avenue, according to Lloyd. At least six fire companies responded to the blaze, including two township units.
No other injuries were reported, but damage to another apartment in the converted garage displaced a family, the chief said.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing and township code officials were also involved, Lloyd noted.
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Bill Duhart may be reached at [email protected].