Investigation opened into drowning death of N.J. firefighter
Nicolas Fernandes
Fri, February 6, 2026 at 10:32 PM UTC
2 min read
Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.
The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the death of a firefighter who drowned in the Delaware River on Thursday.
Howard Bennett, a longtime Camden Fire Department firefighter, died at the hospital on Thursday after he was removed from a boat marina on the Delaware River, authorities said.
The veteran firefighter fell through the ice and became submerged in the freezing cold water for several minutes, officials said.
Advertisement
Advertisement
The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office said on Friday that it had opened an investigation into the death.
“Our hearts are with the family, friends, and firefighters of the Camden City Fire Department as they mourn the loss of this brave fireman,” a statement from the office said.
The circumstances surrounding his death do not appear suspicious, prosecutors said. He was performing maintenance on a fire boat with at least three other firefighters at the time of the incident.
The New Jersey Department of Labor and Department of Community Affairs (DCA) are also conducting investigations.
A spokesperson for the Department of Labor said its investigation will determine whether any measures could have prevented the incident or what actions can be taken to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Advertisement
Advertisement
The DCA said its Division of Fire Safety is required to investigate all firefighter line-of-duty deaths and provide information and guidance to the affected department.
Bennett was removed from the water around 11 a.m. on Thursday. First responders attempted life-saving measures on the scene before he was transported to Cooper University Hospital.
On Thursday, Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she was devastated to hear about Bennett’s death.
“My thoughts are with his family and the Camden Fire Department during this difficult time,” Sherrill said.
Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.