January 03, 2025
Ewing Twp. Fire Dept. - Station 30/Facebook
A 6-year-old boy died Thursday after a fire ignited in apartment complex in Mercer County, police say. The blaze displaced 16 residents and sent several people to hospitals with injuries.
UPDATE: The victim has been identified as Jayden Gotell-Watkins. Originally from Baldwinsville, New York, he was in the area visiting relatives, his family said.
A 6-year-old boy died Thursday after a fire broke out in an apartment building in Mercer County, authorities said.
The blaze began around 3 p.m. in the Cambridge Hall complex at 860 Lower Ferry Road in Ewing Township — about 4 1/2 miles from downtown Trenton. The 6-year-old boy was trapped on the fourth floor of the building, where the fire originated, when emergency responders arrived, police said. First responders evacuated the building and reached the fourth floor, but found the boy unresponsive.
The boy was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he died. His name has not been released.
Fire departments from Hopewell, Trenton, Pennington and Lawrence provided assistance with search and rescue efforts and helped to extinguish the two-alarm fire.
Three residents, 13 firefighters and one police officer were taken to hospitals for treatment, police said. Their injuries included minor burns, smoke inhalation and exhaustion.
The Red Cross sent 7 volunteers to the scene to meet and support families affected by the fire. The organization said it is providing emergency financial assistance to 16 displaced residents from 12 apartment units.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but police do not consider it suspicious. Anyone with information about the fire can contact Ewing Police Det. David Hartmann at (609) 882-1313 ext. 7544.
