Toms River House Fire Accidental, Official Says

TOMS RIVER, NJ -- (Updated, 5 p.m.) A fire that significantly damaged a newly renovated Toms River home has been determined to be accidental, a Toms River fire official said.

James Mercready, director of the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention, said the investigation into the fire at 537 Princess Court was completed a little after 4 p.m.

“The investigators determined that an accidental fire occurred as a result of the combustible floor system underneath the boiler in the first-floor utility room igniting,” Mercready said.

The fire in the East Dover section occurred about 4 a.m., forcing firefighters to battle the flames in single-digit temperatures with wind chills below zero.

“The extreme cold made for extremely difficult firefighting conditions,” said John Gonzalez, chief of Toms River Fire District 1. The East Dover Fire Company had support from a multitude of fire companies, including Toms River Fire Companies 1 and 2, Silverton Fire Company, Island Heights Fire Company as well as coverage assignments from Brick, Manitou Park and Beachwood, he said.

“The extra personnel was required so we could rotate firefighters frequently and provide them with some time in the warmth of apparatus cabs and ambulances,” he said. Firefighters were operating on scene for approximately 3-1/2 hours, he said.

“As you can imagine these were brutal conditions and the water was freezing as soon as it touched anything,” Gonzalez said.

There were no reported injuries of civilians or firefighters, he said.

Toms River EMS and Silverton EMS, among others provided support for the firefighters in the frigid temperatures.

East Dover Fire Company posted a thank you on Facebook to the departments that provided backup.

Also assisting in the investigation was Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention inspector Stephen Hayes as well as Toms River police and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Mercready said.

The house has been posted as an unsafe structure by Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention inspector Dominick Roselli, Mercready said.

The property had just been listed for sale after a recent renovation, according to a listing on Zillow.com.

The 2,600-square-foot home was listed for sale on Jan. 17. Trulia.com says the home was listed by Provident Funding Associates, which foreclosed on the home’s previous owner in April 2015, the record says.

The home appears to have been vacant, based on photos with the Zillow listing.