Residents Rescue Woman From Burning Apartment In Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Three residents of the Silver Ridge Apartment complex rescued a woman from her burning apartment Sunday night, authorities said.

Domenic Dowd and Jordan Finkle rescued the woman from her apartment on the second floor, authorities said, and Samantha Batiato rendered first aid and monitored the woman's condition until first responders arrived, said Jillian Messina, media relations specialist for the Toms River Police Department.

The fire was reported about 11:20 p.m. Sunday, Messina said, and when police arrived, residents were knocking on doors and evacuating the building.

Finkle and Dowd, who live in the building, told police they had rescued the woman from the burning apartment, but as they were helping her, she told them there was someone else still in the apartment, even though they did not see or hear anyone else.

Toms River Police Officer Tyler Pinto then climbed onto the apartment's balcony to try to find the trapped person but did not see or hear anyone, Messina said.

Black smoke began billowing from the apartment as Pinto left the apartment via the balcony, she said. Toms River firefighters arrived to extinguish the blaze shortly afterward.

The woman was taken to Community Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation, Messina said.

Once the fire was extinguished, firefighters and first responders searched the apartment multiple times but found no sign of anyone else inside, she said.

Multiple apartments were damaged and deemed uninhabitable because of the fire, Messina said, and the Red Cross was assisting the displaced families.

The cause of the fire is unknown, but the preliminary investigation shows the fire appears to have started with cooking left unattended on the stove, Chief John Novak of the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention said.

The Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention, the Toms River Police Detective Bureau, and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office are investigating. Also assisting were the Ocean County Sheriff's Department CIU, multiple fire companies, and community service officers/EMTs.

"We would like to acknowledge the quick-thinking and heroic actions of the residents who came together to ensure everyone was able to get out of the apartments safely," Messina said. "Also to Samantha Batiato who, along with neighbors, rendered aid to the victim and monitored her condition while waiting for first responders to arrive."