Motor vehicle crash
in Williamstown
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Thursday March 06, 2008, 10:00 AM

Firefighters and police outside a house on Key West Drive
in Holiday City, Williamstown. The fire was
too intense for them to attempt to rescue 92-year-old Alfreda
Scharble, who died in the house.
MONROE TWP. -- An autopsy performed Thursday determined
that 92-year-old Alfreda Scharble
died of smoke inhalation during a fire at her home on Key West Drive in the
Holiday City over-55 housing development Wednesday night.
The fire was reported by a neighbor at about 10:30 p.m. Scharble lived with her daughter, Patricia Palermo, who had put Scharble to bed at about 5:30 p.m., according to Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Bernie Weisenfeld. Palermo then left the house.
Investigators from the Prosecutor's Office, the county Fire Marshal's Office and the Monroe Township police department learned Scharble was a heavy smoker and often smoked in bed, Weisenfeld said.
The fire started in her bedroom. An oxygen tank was found in the house, but it was not involved in the fire and was found intact in a front room.
The fire not only destroyed Palermo's house, it damaged portions of four neighboring houses.
Other coverage of incident: Fox 29 Philadelphia - CBS 3 - NBC 10 - WPVI 6 - Williamstown Fire Department - First Responder News Network
Ambulances 2941 and 2942 responded to provide rehab and standby
services for firefighters and residents affected by the fire. Rescue 2948 and
utility 2949 responded to assist in lighting. Also responding to assist were
departments from Glassboro, Cecil, Franklinville (Star Cross),