Fireworks Likely Caused 1.5-Acre Fire In Lacey: Officials

LACEY, NJ — A fire broke around a marsh the night of July 4 in Lanoka Harbor. Officials believe the remnants of fireworks caused the incident.

The fire occurred at about 11 p.m. Saturday at the end of East Hickory Drive in a remote area of the marsh. The blaze covered about 1.5 acres, according to the Lanoka Harbor Volunteer Fire Company.

Firefighters extinguished the flames without any major loss, according to officials. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service investigated the incident. The agency believes remnants of fireworks likely caused the blaze because of the remote location and the amount of fireworks throughout the night.

"We understand that most people like to partake in fireworks, but please use extreme caution and be aware of your surroundings and wind direction before shooting them off," LHVFC wrote on Facebook.

Lanoka Harbor Emergency Medical Services stood by.

Lacey, like most New Jersey towns, didn't hold an official Fourth of July fireworks display because of coronavirus-related crowd restrictions. The township hopes to launch fireworks in September. Read more: Lacey's 4th Of July Fireworks 2020 Postponed

As a result, some around town shot off fireworks of their own — to the joy of some and annoyance of others. Lacey police put out extra patrols to enforce state laws regarding fireworks.

"While the state of New Jersey has legalized very specific types of low level firework novelties (snappers, party-poppers and other non-aerial sparkling devices), we would like to remind our residents that most fireworks remain illegal to use without a valid permit," Lacey police announced Friday. "These include many aerial type fireworks and explosives, including but not limited to firecrackers and skyrockets."

It was not immediately clear whether or how many citations police gave out.

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