OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ — The roof collapsed at the BJ's Wholesale Club on Route 35 in Ocean Township on Monday. Some people were briefly trapped when the roof collapsed, but nobody was injured, authorities said.
The roof collapsed just before 11:16 a.m., said Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden. There were 27 people inside the building at the time.
Two people were partially trapped by the debris, but were able to free themselves and safely exit the structure. The Monmouth County Urban Search and Rescue team did a comprehensive search of the building and found nobody else trapped.
There were no injuries.
Security footage published by Shlomo Schorr shows the moment the roof collapsed.
Additional searches of the building were done using an interior drone from the Monmouth County Sheriff and K-9 teams.
The roof hit a natural gas line as it collapsed, Ocean Township Mayor John Napolitani said. JCP&L had to race to the scene, through severe flash flooding on Rt. 35, to cut off power and gas, said the mayor.
The roof collapse occurred after this part of Monmouth County was hit by a short but intense period of heavy rain. 3.45 inches of rain fell in the Ocean Township/Asbury Park area in a three-hour time span Monday morning, according to this map from the National Weather Service.
Please avoid the area, said law enforcement.
"Our first priority was ensuring the safety of everyone at the scene while allowing emergency personnel the space they need to complete their work," said Ocean Township Police Chief Michael Sorrentino. "We ask residents and motorists to avoid the areas of Route 35, Park Avenue, and Deal Road, particularly between Routes 18 and 35, until further notice."
At the same time this happened, Rt. 35 in Ocean Twp. suffered serious flash flooding; see photos:
Also happening Monday: Wesley Lake In Asbury Park Floods Its Banks
The Ocean Township, Middletown and Asbury Park fire departments all responded to the roof collapse.
"This incident is another reminder of how quickly severe weather can create dangerous and unpredictable conditions," said Golden. "We commend all first responders who worked with urgency under challenging circumstances. Despite the ongoing flooding and severe weather affecting our communities, all worked seamlessly together to ensure everyone was safely accounted for. Their dedication and teamwork exemplify the very best of public safety."
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