House Fire Knocked Down in Belmar

A small house fire in Belmar likely caused by a lightning strike was quickly knocked down Wednesday afternoon, officials said. 

Trucks from every company in the Belmar Fire Department, and one from neighboring West Belmar in Wall, were on the scene around 2:30 p.m. in the 200 block of Eighth Avenue, where Belmar Fire Chief Nick Lorusso said the small fire was knocked down in about 15 minutes with no injuries to civilians or firefighters reported. 

Lorusso said the fire, which he described more of a "smoldering," was likely caused by a lightning strike and burnt holes in the roof of the three-story residence. 

The home's occupants evacuated the house and were outside when crews arrived, Lorusso said. 

Firefighters detected smoldering between the sheet rock and roof on the third floor of the house, Lorusso said. Crews wet down the roof from the outside before shooting more water up the holes from inside the house, he said.

Aside from the small holes and some water damage, the house sustained no major damage, Lorusso said.

At 3 p.m. Belmar police detectives were inspecting the damage and awaiting county officials before determining the official cause of the fire, Lorusso said. 

Crews from Goodwill Hose Company, Volunteer Hook & Ladder and Union Fire Company, and West Belmar Fire Department in Wall were on the scene. 

Police were blocking off traffic between A Street and B Street on Eighth Avenue during the response.