Roof Collapses At BJ's Wholesale Club In Monmouth County

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.

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. said, and authorities had to have power and gas service cut off to the building quickly as a result.

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."

Video published by Jersey Shore Hurricane News showed the collapse as it happened.

At the same time this happened, Rt. 35 in Ocean Twp. suffered serious flash flooding; see photos:

The Monmouth County Sheriff's Office is urging people to stay away from the BJ's and Rt. 35 in Ocean.

"First responders are on scene at BJ's Wholesale Club-Ocean Twp where they are dealing with a roof collapse," the sheriff's office said in a post on X. "Please stay clear of the area. Allow emergency personnel to respond."

The Ocean Township, Middletown and Asbury Park fire departments all responded.

"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."