Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, III have announced that authorities are investigating a fire at the Saint Mary's Villa senior housing building on Sanford Avenue.
According to a statement released by authorities, earlier this afternoon, units from the Newark Fire Department responded to reports of a fire in the complex.
Authorities say units located an unresponsive male within an apartment in the complex where medical staff subsequently pronounced him dead at the scene at 1:53 p.m.
Officials identified the victim as Mr. William Fulmore, 72, of Newark, according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly.
The fire was contained to one apartment within the building.
The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Prosecutor's Crime Scene Investigations Bureau, which includes detectives from the Newark Police and Fire Departments.
The investigation is active and ongoing at this time.