It was just before 2:00 a.m. when Middle Township Police on routine patrol observed smoke coming from a home on the 3100 block of Route 9 South in Rio Grande.
First responders entered the home and retrieved a man from the bedroom.
The victim, identified as Phillip Padilla, was transported to Cape Regional Medical Center where he later died.
An investigation into the cause of the fire revealed that the fire originated in the kitchen area of the residence.
The cause of the fire was subsequently determined to be accidental due to unattended cooking.
