BELMAR — A two-alarm structure fire engulfed multiple houses on 13th Avenue in Belmar during the early hours of Sunday morning, destroying two homes and causing extensive damage to other nearby properties. Two firefighters and one resident suffered minor injuries.
Cynthia Scott, public information officer for the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed on Wednesday that the cause of the fire is unknown and the investigation is ongoing. The incident is currently under investigation by the Belmar Fire Bureau and the Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office, she said.
The fire department was dispatched to 306 13th Avenue at 6:05 a.m. Sunday morning for a reported porch fire, according to a Belmar Fire Department press release. Responders found heavy flames in two houses that extended to two other homes.
Belmar Fire Chief Sean Pringle told The Coast Star on Monday that the fire originated at 306 13th Ave. on the porch and was “fully involved” by the time he arrived on scene. A power line was also down across the street upon their arrival, dropped by the fire, the fire chief said.
There was also fire on the second and third floor of 308 13th Avenue, Chief Pringle said, as well as fire on the outside of both 308 ½ 13th Avenue and 304 13th Avenue.
Two of the houses, at 306 and 308 13th Ave., were left uninhabitable, and the other two, at 308 ½ and 304 13th Ave, were left with extensive but salvageable damage on the exterior. No cars were affected by the fire.
“306 (13th Avenue) collapsed…308 (13th Avenue) collapsed on the third and second floors and then 308 ½ had exterior damage and 304 had exterior damage with a little inside,” Chief Pringle said.
There were also “two types of some type of explosion” on scene, Chief Pringle said, suspected to be either a gas meter or a propane tank, “we’re not 100% sure but during the fire there was some type of something lit up.”
Despite initial reports of someone trapped inside the residence at 308 13th Avenue, Chief Pringle said, “we did as much of a search as we can before we had to pull everyone out, but there was no one found. The people were up north, so they were okay.”
A tenant inside 306 13th Avenue was asleep at the time of the fire and awakened to flames outside the window. The resident was able to escape the home but suffered minor smoke inhalation. He was treated by EMS on scene, transported to the emergency room for further care and later released.
Chief Pringle told The Coast Star that two firefighters also suffered minor injuries, received EMS treatment on scene and were released after denying further medical care. One firefighter sustained a pulled muscle in the neck and the other was burned on the chin, according to the fire chief.
Chief Pringle estimated that it took approximately a half hour to get the heavy fire under control, citing “extensive overhaul.” Crews operated on scene for approximately four hours, until 10 a.m., before being released.
Responding fire departments included Belmar Fire Department’s Goodwill and Hook & Ladder fire companies, as well as, Avon, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, West Belmar, South Wall, Glendola, Asbury Park and Neptune City, in addition to Manasquan and Oakhurst for additional coverage.
“With the combined efforts of our firefighters and mutual aid partners, we were able to extinguish the fire and prevent further spread to surrounding properties,” the fire department press release states.
“We appreciate all our mutual aid companies helping us out for such a fire,” Chief Pringle said. “It could have been a lot worse and thanks for everyone.”
According to a post by Red Cross New Jersey to Twitter, its Disaster Action Team also responded to the fire, “helping a family of two with Red Cross emergency assistance to help with temporary lodging, food, clothing and other immediate needs.”
“Our thoughts are with the families who have been displaced or affected by this incident,” the fire department press release states.
“We also urge all residents to ensure working smoke alarms are installed in every sleeping area, and to have an evacuation plan in place,” the release states. “Fires can spread quickly, and early warning saves lives.”
A GoFundMe has been started for a resident residing at 306 13th Avenue, Gabrielle Gaetano, and had raised $4,545 of its $15,000 goal as of Wednesday afternoon. The GoFundMe can be found online at gofund.me/bec5cbf3.
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