Cherry Hill house fire that killed mob attorney's son a 'tragic accident,' friends say
Authorities are still investigating exactly what ignited the blaze at the home of Joseph Santaguida, who has defended reputed Philadelphia mobsters such as Joseph “Mousie” Massimino and Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino.
The man rescued from a Cherry Hill fire in a home owned by a prominent Philadelphia mob lawyer has died, authorities said Friday.
The Camden County Prosecutor's Office did not name the 56-year-old man, but family friends identified him as Anthony Santaguida, son of Joseph Santaguida, a lawyer who has defended reputed Philadelphia mobsters such as Joseph "Mousie" Massimino and Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino.
"There's nothing much to say. He was a good son, he was a good boy," Joseph Santaguida said Friday from his law office. He declined to speak further.
William Ciancaglini, an associate at the firm, said Friday afternoon that Anthony Santaguida's death was believed to be an accident and not related to his father's work.
"This has nothing to do with any of his clients or any of his work whatsoever," Ciancaglini said. "Our belief is this was a tragic accident. We see no reason why it's anything but that."
Ciancaglini said that he did not know what caused the fire, but that Anthony Santaguida would not have tried to harm himself. Ciancaglini said Anthony Santaguida was the only person home at the time.
Gina Gannone, 49, of South Philadelphia, the mother of Anthony Santaguida's 15-year-old son, Rocco, called the circumstances "horrible."
"He's got to lay his dad to rest now," she said of her son. "And it's just difficult."
She said Rocco wanted people to know his father was a good-hearted man who loved Philadelphia sports and always helped friends who were less fortunate.
Cherry Hill firefighters responded to the two-story home on Red Oak Drive around 12:30 p.m. Jan. 31, after a neighbor called 911 to report smoke coming from the roof and second-floor windows.
"This house is on fire. There's smoke coming out, and I can see fire through the front door," the neighbor, who said he was driving by, told a dispatcher, according to a recording of the call provided by county officials. The caller said that he saw no vehicles outside the home, and that he could not see whether anyone was inside.
Cherry Hill Fire Chief Thomas Kolbe said firefighters found an unconscious man suffering from smoke inhalation and burns in a second-floor bedroom. He was taken to Temple University Hospital, where authorities said he died Wednesday evening.
The arson unit from the Camden County Prosecutor's Office is leading the investigation. The office declined to comment on the possible cause and other details Friday.