Colonia High grad who supported family dies in basement fire

WOODBRIDGE — A young man who died this week in a basement fire was a Colonia High School graduate who sent a portion of his paychecks to family back in Haiti.

Fire broke out 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the South Inman Avenue house in the Avenel section, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, whose office is investigating.

Mayor John McCormac told New Jersey 101.5 that neighbors helped rescue several residents from the house but their 21-year-old relative was trapped in the basement, where he lived.

Fire Official Cory Spillar told MyCentralJersey.com that five people were in the house and the fire may have started in the basement.

Middlesex County schools Superintendent Kyle Anderson identified the man as Chadly Julian and shared a link on Facebook to a GoFundMe page to help his family.

Julian was a member of the Colonia High School Class of 2017, according to MyCentralJersey.com's list of graduates.

"Chadly sent a portion of every check he’s ever earned here to his family back in Haiti. So, all of the donations will be going towards his memorial, his family and his memory," fundraising organizer Bleriot Thompson said on the GoFundMe page.

On his Facebook page, Thompson said Julian was "a beautiful person, a beautiful soul and pure of heart." He invited friends to a memorial at the family's home or to drive by to show support.

Ciccone asked anyone with information about the fire to call Woodbridge police at 732-634-7700, the Prosecutor's Office at 732-745-4194 or the Avenel Fire Prevention Bureau at 732-855-9747.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ