1 dead in Lumberton, N.J. motel fire

One person has died after a fire broke out inside a motel in Lumberton, Burlington County.

The fire broke out in room 309 at the Travel Inn Motel shortly before 9:00 a.m. Friday.

Firefighters encountered very heavy smoke when they got to the motel.

They managed to contain the flames to just one room in a cluster of ground floor rooms toward the rear of the property.

The Travel Inn Motel is a familiar site along Route 38 at the intersection of 541. The rooms are available daily, weekly and monthly.

The motel manager says the occupant of room 309 was a weekly renter. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim's identity has not been released.

Lumberton Police Chief Tony DiLoreto explains, "They were able to pull one adult male subject out of the room. Unfortunately, it is a fatality."

One firefighter, the first to arrive, was overcome by smoke when he went into the room.

Chief DiLorento says, "There was one injury to one firefighter. I believe he was from Evesham Township. He did suffer some smoke inhalation. He was treated and released at the scene."

Police detectives and fire investigators are still trying to determine how this fire started. At this point they have not ruled out foul play, but that doesn't mean they suspect it.