Holmdel Fire: Cause Not Yet Known; Family Dog Still Missing

HOLMDEL, NJ — No cause has been determined as yet for the fire Friday that destroyed a house on Holland Road, Holmdel Fire Official David Olsen said Monday.

It's too early for a cause to be determined, he said, adding he may have information on the cause by next week.

No family members were injured in the blaze that began at around 4:40 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, at 214 Holland Road.

The Rubin family of seven - parents and five children - escaped the house after fire alarms sounded in the house, according to a Facebook post on the Holmdel First Aid Squad site.

Olsen said he understands that a small terrier dog is safe, and one cat ran from the house, another jumped from a window and was being treated by a veterinarian. There may be other cats unaccounted for, police have noted.

There is still no word on whether Duke, the family's German shepherd who was seen running from the house, has been located. Police did not indicate he was found on its Facebook page, where the public is always advised when a pet has been reunited with its owner.

A GoFundMe site for the family has received 649 donations now, raising nearly $57,000.

Comments there and on the Police Department Facebook site all express support for the family and hope for finding Duke. Over 160 Facebook comments offer advice - from using drones to locate him to using services that specialize in locating pets.

Police received reports Saturday morning of possible sightings of the dog in the area of Mayfair Road/Telegraph Hill Road, according to a Facebook post. Residents are asked to report any sightings to police at 732-946-4400.

The fire on a frigid Friday night brought out Holmdel Fire, along with the Monmouth County Fire Marshal's Office, Middletown, Hazlet, Union Beach, Keyport, Matawan, Aberdeen, Keansburg, Tinton Falls, Sea Bright, Morganville, Spring Lake, Glendola, and Manalapan fire companies, police said Saturday. The following EMS units also responded, Holmdel, Keyport, Union Beach and Monmouth County EMS Task Force, police said.