MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ – On Friday, June 25, 2021, at approximately 11:39 P.M., Manchester Township Police received a report of an active fire at a residence on Tern Court in the Pine Ridge section of Manchester Township. Upon arrival, officers observed that the fire had engulfed a large portion of the home with visible flames emanating from the rear door. The homeowner, who was the sole occupant, escaped from the residence and suffered from smoke inhalation. However, the family dog was unable to escape and perished in the fire.
The homeowner was treated on scene and subsequently transported by Manchester Emergency Medical Services to Southern Ocean County Hospital for treatment and evaluation of her injuries.
The fire was quickly extinguished by members of the Whiting Fire Company, the Manchester Fire Company, the Ridgeway Fire Company, the Lakehurst Fire Company, Joint Base McGuire Fire Department, and the Pinewald Pioneer Fire Department. The Ocean County Fire Marshall’s office conducted the investigation into the cause and origin of the fire. It was subsequently determined that the fire was accidental in nature and the result of improperly discarded smoking material.