Fire Destroys Veterans' Park Construction Supplies In Aberdeen

ABERDEEN, NJ — Two fires occurred in Aberdeen Township this week: A fire broke out in a detached garage Thursday evening, and police are investigating an earlier fire that occurred Sunday, and destroyed the material to build Veterans' Park.

The fire Thursday evening broke out around 7 p.m. in a detached garage on the 300 block of Cliffwood Avenue. There were no injuries, said Police Chief John Powers.

And on Sunday, June 11 at approximately 2:50 in the afternoon, a fire occurred at the beachfront at the soon-to-be site of Veterans' Park. Materials that were going to be used in the construction of the park were destroyed. Police are investigating; the cause is undetermined at this time, said Chief Powers. A photo of the damaged building supplies is above.

The Township is planning on building a splash park, a gazebo and a picnic area at the park. There is some community opposition to the project, but others in Aberdeen welcome the plan. Chief Powers said they are investigating all possible causes of the fire, including that the fire may have been deliberately set, or that it may have been accidental. There are no cameras in the area at this time, but cameras will be installed once the gazebo is built.

"The materials were wrapped in plastic and it was a very hot day," said Chief Powers. "Also, it was very crowded at the beach that day."

Anyone with information about the Veterans' Park fire can contact Det. Anthony Valentino at 732-583-4200, ext 205.