PERTH AMBOY – A 46-year-old city man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly setting a June 10 house fire that resulted in burns and smoke inhalation to five people inside, including a 2-month-old baby girl.
Besides attempted murder, a first-degree crime, Gerardo Rosario-Vasquez also has been charged with aggravated arson, a second-degree crime, and home invasion, a first-degree crime, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said.
Rosario-Vasquez is in custody at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, the prosecutor’s office said.
Around 10:09 p.m. June 10 emergency personnel received a report of a fire at a home on Prospect Street. Members of the Perth Amboy Fire Department, Middlesex County Fire Marshal’s Office and the Perth Amboy Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene and extinguished the blase.
Police located five victims, a 25-year-old woman, two men ages 25 and 29, a 49-year-old woman and a 2-month-old baby girl, all from Perth Amboy, who taken to the hospital to be treated for burns and smoke inhalation. No police officers or firefighters were injured from the fire, according to the prosecutor’s office.
An investigation by Perth Amboy Detective Pablo Vargas and Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Kevin Schroeck along with local and county fire officials indicated Rosario-Vasquez allegedly unlawfully entered the home and set fire to the structure.
The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Perth Amboy Detective Vargas at 732-324-3805 or Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office DetectiveSchroeck at 732-745-4054.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Perth Amboy NJ man set fire to home with 2-month-old inside: police