WARETOWN, N.J. — A second individual has been arrested in connection with the April 22 wildfire that scorched more than 15,000 acres across southern Ocean County, authorities announced Wednesday.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said a 17-year-old male was taken into custody on May 1 and charged with aggravated arson, arson, and hindering apprehension. The juvenile is accused of helping set fire to wooden pallets in the Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area and then leaving the scene without ensuring the fire was extinguished.
This arrest follows earlier charges against Joseph Kling, 19, of Waretown, who was charged with aggravated arson and arson on April 23. On May 1, Kling received an additional charge of hindering apprehension after investigators determined he also misled law enforcement during the inquiry.
The blaze, which began near Jones Road and Bryant Road in Waretown, was first reported around 9:45 a.m. on April 22 by the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower. It rapidly spread through forested land overseen by the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust, ultimately burning about 15,300 acres in Waretown and Lacey Township and destroying one commercial structure.
Investigators used GPS technology to determine the fire’s point of origin. A joint probe by multiple agencies, including the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, concluded that the wildfire stemmed from an improperly extinguished bonfire.
Authorities link fire to wooden pallets, false statements
Officials said Kling was responsible for initially setting the pallets on fire before leaving the area. Prosecutors stated the juvenile also participated in lighting the fire and misled investigators during the subsequent investigation.
Kling was arrested on April 23 at Ocean Township Police Headquarters and remains held at Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing. The 17-year-old suspect is being held at the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center.
“Further investigation revealed that Kling likewise provided false information to law enforcement as to how the fire started,” authorities stated.
Multiple law enforcement and emergency service agencies contributed to the investigation. These included the Ocean Township (Waretown) and Lacey Township Police Departments, the Ship Bottom Police Department, and the New Jersey State and Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Offices.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office also credited its Crime Scene Investigation Unit and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service for their involvement.