Man Arrested in Keyport Fire is the Same Man Facing Animal Cruelty Charges After Dog Drowns, Prosecutor Says

By Carly Baldwin and Karen Wall

Keyport, NJ - Exactly what caused the massive Keyport fire on Friday remains undetermined as of now, but Monmouth County prosecutors charged an unlicensed contractor installing roofing at the scene for working without a permit, the prosecutor's office said Tuesday. And it's the same man who is currently facing charges of animal cruelty after police say he caused his dog to drown in the frozen Toms River last year.

Andrew Mayer, 28, of Toms River, was performing roofing work at 43 West Front Street just before it erupted into a massive fire. Investigators learned about Mayer when witnesses told them a man had been seen doing work on the roof just prior to the fire breaking out.

Mayer did not have permits for the job, officials said. He was charged with working without a permit, working without a license and driving without a license, said Charles Webster, spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Same man whose dog drowned in Toms River last year

Webster also confirmed Mayer is the same man whose dog drowned in the frozen Toms River in March 2015 after Mayer drove onto the ice.

Mayer, who agreed in January to be represented by a public defender, is facing third-degree charges of animal cruelty and criminal mischief in that case. Mayer was the driver, and he said he and another passenger got out before the truck sank beneath the ice. Mayer's dog, however, a Boxer named Rolo, was trapped in the truck and drowned. The dog's frozen body was found by police divers in the submerged truck.

It prompted a massive search-and-rescue effort, including New Jersey State Police marine units and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, after the lights from Mayer's pickup truck disappeared from view in the early hours of March 1.

Mayer's truck was seen doing donuts on the ice, authorities said at the time, and the search was called off when Mayer notified Toms River police that he was safely ashore several hours later.

Mayer is scheduled for a status update in that case on Monday, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Still no exact cause of Keyport fire

Mayer's charges in the Keyport fire are all disorderly persons offenses. He was released on his own recognizance.

However, "No determination has been made about the cause of the fire," Webster said. "The investigation ... remains active and ongoing."

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office, Keyport Police Department and Keyport Fire Prevention Bureau.

Eight firefighters and one Salvation Army worker were hospitalized due to injuries sustained at the fire. All were non-life threatening injuries. The fire leaped from building to building in part because of wind. Three cats died, as they were trapped in an apartment above the burning buildings.