TOMS RIVER, NJ – With a crippling blizzard dropping as much as a foot and half of snow across Ocean County, the Toms River Fire Prevention Inspectors IAFF Local 5303 has reported the “Toms River Bubble”, formally known as the Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex has suffered another roof collapse.
The roof of the indoor sports facility collapsed back in 2012 during Superstorm Sandy, leaving large tears in the roof and causing extensive damage.
“Our inspectors were called out to a “Building collapse” of a membrane sports bubble. The nonessential utilities were secured and the building was posted unsafe. Stay safe everyone,” the TR FPI IAFF Local 5303 reported today.
This time, the collapse was reported as a partial collapse on the eastern edge of the bubble as snow accumulated on the facility’s roof. The building is owned and operated by the Toms River Regional School District.
After Superstorm Sandy, the cost to repair the bubble was $800,000, but FEMA reimbursed the district for 75% of that cost, leaving the taxpayers of Toms River only with a $25,000 bill. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency, but at this time, it’s unknown if any state or federal aid would be necessary or available to repair the bubble once again.
The district’s insurance deductable back in 2012 was $100,000. In 2019, repairs to the inside of the bubble were part of the school district’s $147 million ballot referendum to repair the district’s aging schools and facilities. The facility first opened for the 2005 school year.
After Superstorm Sandy, the bubble was repaired and reopened three months later, in January of 2013.
So far, the district has reported there are no visible rips or tears to the roof which collapsed partially under more than a foot of snow and ice, battered by high winds for the past 16 hours. Hopefully, reopening the structure this time could be as simple as clearing off the snow and reinflating it.
The facility hosts indoor winter scholastic track meets and the collapse happened right as post-season competitions were about to begin. The bubble is scheduled to host statewide high school track championships and state tournaments starting in just one week with the Greater Middlesex Conference Championships on February 6th, followed by a busy schedule during February and March to host the NJSIAA Groups 1,2,3 and 4 Sectional Championships in mid-February before ending the season as host to the NJSIAA meet of champions on March 4th.
Photos by Toms River Fire Prevention Inspectors IAFF Local 5303.
