UPDATE: Couple, Pets Safe As Fire Destroys Brick Home Overnight

UPDATE, 12:30 p.m.: A Brick Township couple and their pets were safely evacuated but their home was destroyed in a fast-moving three-alarm fire overnight Monday, officials said.

Bob and Claire Jones of Pinehurst Road were taken to Ocean County Medical Center, Brick, for observation, said Kevin Batzel, chief of the Brick Township Fire Safety Bureau after they and their pets -- two dogs and a cat -- were evacuated.

“It’s important to note they were notified by working smoke alarms in the house,” he said.

Batzel said the fire was reported at 11:39 p.m. as a smoke condition and upon arrival found heavy fire showing from the back of the house. The fire so severely damaged the home -- emergency communications reports indicated the house collapsed less than 40 minutes after the fire was reported -- that the township Public Works department had to be called in to secure some the structure, which posed a danger.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Batzel said, who added the owners had a problem with frozen water pipes earlier in the day.

All Brick Township fire companies -- Pioneer Hose, Breton Woods, Laurelton and Herbertsville -- responded, and township firefighters received assistance from the Point Pleasant Boro, Point Pleasant Beach, Mantoloking and Silverton fire companies, he said. Brick Township EMS also responded, he said.

PREVIOUSLY:

A Brick Township home was destroyed by fire overnight, according to reports on the Ocean County Police, Fire & EMS Facebook page.

The reports, citing emergency personnel radio communications, the fire on Pinehurst Road started before 11:45 p.m. and the three-alarm fire caused so much damage that the home collapsed in less than an hour, according to the posts.

No fire personnel were injured fighting the blaze.

Complete information was not yet available from Brick Township fire officials.