TOMS RIVER, NJ— On Friday afternoon, Toms River Fire Companies No. 1 and No. 2 were dispatched to a fire at a commercial property on Highland Parkway. At approximately 4:45 PM, the units arrived to find a fire in a small homeless encampment in the woods behind the property. The fire, which involved various personal belongings including a camping tent, was quickly extinguished without further incident.
Nobody was reported injured during the incident.
The scene prompted investigations by the Toms River Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutors Office, and the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention after discovering items such as ash trays, cigarettes, and lighters that could potentially indicate the cause of the fire. The American Red Cross was also called to the scene to provide aid to those affected by the fire. Despite the findings, the cause of the fire remains undetermined due to multiple contributing factors.
The East Dover Fire Company responded to an oven fire in the Georgetown section of Toms River, while the Chief of Fire Company 2700 attended to a carbon monoxide alarm in Ocean Beach.
Additionally, the Pleasant Plains Fire Department and Silverton Volunteer Fire Company were called to a reported structure fire in a multifamily dwelling on the northern end of the town. This fire, which started in combustible mulch adjacent to the building, caused minor damage to the structure.