Stop Work Order Lifted At Beachwood Shopping Center

by Patricia A. Miller

The remainder of the battered Beachwood Shopping Center will soon be coming down, now that the township’s construction official has lifted the stop work order, Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. said.

Construction Official Tony Cirz issued the stop work order after Raymond Crosby, 52, an Edgewood Properties employee, was killed on Sept. 24 when a ceiling in one of the stores collapsed on him.

“The stop work order was issued to allow those agencies involved in the investigation of the tragedy that occurred,” Amato said. ”Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Mr. Crosby and his family.”

Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration spokesperson Leni Fortson said today the agency has not finished its report on the accident. OSHA has up to six months to complete accident reports, she said.

“The redeveloper will begin demolition soon,” Amato said. “We have not received any of the reports as of this date.”

Crosby, Keansburg, died at the scene when a roof collapsed.

He died during the demolition of the shopping center, which has been underway for several weeks and will likely take another several weeks to complete.

Crosby was a member of the Piscataway-based Edgewood Properties, which had been contract to demolish the eyesore. The crew’s foreman called police after the collapse.

Berkeley Township police and Bayville Fire Company 17 responded. Bayville Fire Company members recovered Crosby - who was unresponsive - at 2:58 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:02 p.m.

The shopping center and the surrounding area had been fenced in for several years after Berkeley Fire Code official Jack Wiegarter found a number of dangerous conditions at the site.

Berkeley Township officials battled with owner Priscilla Oughton for years about demolishing the site, long a Bayville eyesore. Oughton finally agreed this year and the demolition work began this summer.