'Suspicious' Fire Damages Manchester Duplex

A fire that authorities have labeled “suspicious” left two units of a Whiting duplex uninhabitable on Wednesday, Manchester police said.

The structure fire at 501A Lilac Lane was reported at 3:06 p.m., Capt. Todd Malland said. Manchester Township Police officers who responded reported that one of the units of the attached duplex was fully involved and that flames were coming out of the left side of the residence.

They confirmed the unit was unoccupied but evacuated the adjoining unit, which was threatened by the fire, Malland said. Quality Medical Transport responded to the scene and treated the homeowners from both units for precautionary reasons; however, no one was taken to the hospital, he said.

Fire departments from Whiting, Manchester, Lakehurst, the NJ State Forest Fire Service and the Joint Base responded and were able to extinguish the fire, he said, but the damage was significant. The Manchester Township building inspector deemed both units uninhabitable and the occupants were relocated with family and friends.

Malland said the fire is considered suspicious in nature and the exact cause and origin is being investigated by the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, and Manchester Detective Adam Emmons.

Also assisting at the scene were the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office CSI unit and the Manchester Township OEM coordinator, he said.