A South Jersey 3-year-old died Tuesday after falling into an underground tank used for storing grease.
The accident happened shortly before 2:30 p.m. at Cidra’s Market at 7th and Peach Streets in Vineland, N.J.
The boy was identified as Jordy Marmolejo. Jordy’s parents recently purchased the market where the accident occurred and moved in across the street, according to neighbors.
Police say that store employees had a manhole cover off of the cooking oil trap when the boy somehow fell inside while walking.
The trap is 5-feet deep.
"We began a rescue operation at which time we retrieved the child from within the hole, which ended up being a hole for runoff of debris and stuff from the kitchen -- grease, fire oil," said Vineland Police Det. Lt. Matthew Finley.
The boy was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries. He would have turned 4 next week.
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A chaplain was sent to the Marmolejo home, police said.
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