Fire Damages Lanoka Harbor Home, Killing Four Cats

A fire broke out at a residence on Teakwood Drive in Lanoka Harbor early this morning, killing four cats, Deputy Fire Marshal John Pasola said.

Two residents, Linda Gibbons, 56, and Kristy Gibbons, 22, as well as multiple pets were in the home at the time of the fire. The home is not livable at the moment, Pasola said.

The fire started in the middle bedroom and spread to the hallway. Smoke filled the entire home, killing the four cats, Pasola said.

The two residents, who escaped uninjured, were checked by first aid and refused treatment.

The home contained 15 pets including eight cats, five dogs, and two rabbits. All dogs and rabbits were successfully evacuated. One cat is unaccounted for.

Upon investigating, the Ocean County Fire Marshal determined that there was an electrical shortage in the wall outlet of a middle bedroom on the second floor of the home. A lamp on a dresser was plugged into the outlet.

The Forked River Fire Department responded to the fire at 6:30 a.m. At 6:37 a.m., officials reported that the animals were still in the home. The fire was out by 7 a.m.

The Lanoka Harbor Fire Department; Bayville Volunteer Fire Company, which is the fast team; and the Ocean County Fire Coordinator also responded.

"They did an excellent job extinguishing the fire," Pasola said.

The Ocean County Fire Marshal was still at the scene at 10:30 a.m.

Popcorn Park Zoo was also at the scene as Linda Gibbons is an employee of the Associated Humane Societies in Forked River.

Popcorn Park is storing the resident’s pets temporarily, Pasola said.

“Being that it’s one of our employees, we want to help as much as we can,” an employee of Popcorn Park said.