Amid Storm, Fire Damages 2 Ortley Beach Homes: Authorities

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Two Ortley Beach homes were significantly damaged in a morning fire that raged amid heavy rain and lightning Monday morning, authorities said.

Toms River police and firefighters from Ocean Beach Fire Company responded to the fire at 106 Sea Gull Lane in Ortley Beach after the 7:04 a.m. 911 call and found the house fully engulfed, said Ralph Stocco, spokesman for the Toms River Police Department.

Stocco said Patrol Officers Michael Brown and Jesse Robertazzi forced their way into the home to try to make sure no one was still asleep in the house, and searched the first floor until they were forced to flee due to the heavy smoke.

It was ultimately determined that both houses were vacant, Stocco said. No injuries were reported and Stocco said the firefighters had to battle the blaze in severe weather conditions that included wind and fog along with the rain that resulted in near-zero visibility.

Kevin Esposito, chief fire inspector for the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention, said firefighters from Ocean Beach, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park and Lavallette fire departments, under the command of District Fire Chief James Golden, were able to contain the fire to the home at 106 Sea Gull Lane, with damage to the house at 108 Sea Gull Lane that police described as significant.

Esposito said Point Pleasant Beach, East Dover, Silverton and Toms River fire companies 1 and 2 provided mutual aid.

Fire units from Ocean Beach, Toms River #1, Toms River #2, East Dover, Silverton, Lavallette, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, and Point Beach responded and brought the fire under control at 8:14 am. Weather conditions were severe with wind, rain, fog, and near zero visibility. Extensive damage was done to the home as well as the adjacent property at 118 Sea Gull Lane.

Inspectors Matthew Janora and Kevin Britton of the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention, Toms River Police Detective Roger Hull and Toms River Patrolman Ryan Parente investigated the origin and cause of the fire. Esposito said they ruled the fire accidental in nature and that they attributed it to a short-circuit in the electrical wiring in the area of the utility room.

Stocco said the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the county sheriff's department's criminal investigation unit assisted.

Fireground Buff LLC, which tracks fire calls on local scanner networks, posted video by Joe Valeri on the Fireground Buff Facebook page that showed flames shooting from the roof of the house.

A lightning strike was reported in Bay Head about the same time as the fire that started in Ortley Beach. That strike damaged the top of The Grenville hotel but did not cause a fire, according to witnesses.

Ortley Beach fire photos provided by Toms River Police Department