Homeowner, Cats Rescued From Burning Home In Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A resident and two cats were rescued early Friday as a fire destroyed a home in the Georgetown section of Toms River, authorities said.

Two people were taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, said Travis Veth, assistant fire chief of the East Dover Fire Company.

The fire on Majorca Court was reported about 5:10 a.m., Veth said, and was quickly upgraded to a third alarm as flames were visible from the rear of the two-story house and its roof.

A neighbor had helped the homeowner escape by putting a ladder up to a second-floor window, Veth said, and while firefighters battled the flames, two cats were rescued – one by the Toms River Police Department and the second by a member of the Pleasant Plains Fire Company.

There were no injuries to any rescue personnel, he said.

It took about an hour and a half to bring the fire under control, Veth said. The East Dover Fire Company, Silverton Fire Company, and Toms River Fire Co. 2 responded first, with Toms River Fire Co. 1, Pleasant Plains Fire Company, Ocean Beach Fire Company, Island Heights Fire Company, Toms River Police EMS, Brick Police EMS Mass Casualty Units, Toms River Police Department, Veth said.

The following stations that covered the town while crews operated at fire:

• Seaside Heights Fire Company
• Manchester Fire Company, Stations 32 & 34
• Brick Fire Companies, Station 21 & 22
• Beachwood Fire Company
• Manitou Park Fire Company

Veth thanked all the fire companies who responded and all of the neighboring towns for their assistance in providing mutual aid coverage.

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