Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announces the following information regarding the investigation into the two-alarm fire that occurred on Oak Street in Moonachie, NJ, on Thursday, April 10, 2025. This joint investigation was conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Moonachie Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard Behrens.
On Thursday, April 10, 2025, at approximately 4:30 p.m., the Moonachie Police Department and the Moonachie Fire Department, along with mutual aid from the Wood-Ridge Fire Department and neighboring agencies, responded to a shed fire in the backyard of a single-family, private residence on Oak Street. During their initial response and fire suppression efforts of the two-alarm fire, the Moonachie Police Department and Fire Department located an adult male victim by the entrance to the shed. The victim, later identified as 70-year-old Ida Kaba, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The victim’s wife, identified as 67-year-old Dzurie Kaba, also suffered non-life threating injuries while attempting to rescue her husband from the fire. She was treated on scene by the Moonachie Fire Department and Moonachie Emergency Medical Services (“EMS”).
The Moonachie Police Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad and requested assistance from the Bergen County Arson Task Force. Detectives and Arson Investigators from the Prosecutor’s Office responded to the scene and initiated an investigation in conjunction with the Moonachie Police Department, Moonachie Fire Department, and Moonachie Fire Prevention Bureau. The investigation conducted by the Bergen County Arson Squad and local fire officials revealed that it was not suspicious in nature.
Prosecutor Musella would like to thank the Moonachie Police Department, Moonachie Fire Department, Moonachie EMS, and the surrounding Fire Departments that supplied mutual-aid assistance during the response to this fire. Additionally, Prosecutor Musella thanks the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their participation in the Bergen County Arson Task Force.
