Authorities Identity Couple Killed In North Plainfield Fire

NORTH PLAINFIELD, NJ — A married couple has been identified as the two people who tragically died following a three-alarm heavy fire at a two-story multi-family apartment building in North Plainfield on July 24.

Robert Collin, age 72, and his wife Patricia Collin, age 61 were positively identified by the New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, with the assistance of a forensic odonatologist, Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H.Robertson announced Monday.

The couple married were longtime sweethearts and married on March 15, 2014. A private memorial service will be held by the family, according to an obituary in the Star Ledger.

They lived at the Regency Village at 401 Route 22 West and the fire originated in their apartment unit 23 H in North Plainfield on July 24 around 11:48 a.m.

The fire quickly went into the open/shared attic space of the other units and spread causing the roof to collapse on the building.

Of the eight units, all were occupied at the time of the fire and about 13 residents were evacuated and displaced as the entire building was ruled "untenable."

The cause of the fire "does not appear to be suspicious," according to Robertson.

Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Fire Investigation Unit and the North Plainfield Police Department are still conducting the ongoing investigation.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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