POINT PLEASANT BEACH, N.J. (AP) – Authorities say a resident of a Jersey shore motel who fell asleep facedown in a couch while smoking touched off a fire that killed four people, including himself.
The Ocean County Prosecutors Office on Wednesday released its final report into the March 21 blaze at the Mariner’s Cove Motel in Point Pleasant Beach.
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Surveillance video from inside the motel shows John Alberti rummaging through seat cushions in a lounge. He later is shown face down in the couch with a lit cigarette.
The video shows him sleeping with the glowing tip of the cigarette no longer visible. Smoke and flames erupted about 90 minutes later.
Authorities previously said a cigarette discarded in a chair touched off the fire, which was declared accidental.
The motel housed several Superstorm Sandy victims.
