BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ – Authorities are investigating a flash fire that injured seven juveniles during a New Year’s Eve gathering at a North Trenton Avenue residence, officials said.
According to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, police, fire, and emergency crews responded around 10 p.m. on December 31 to reports of a fire with multiple burn victims. Responders determined that the injuries were caused by a sudden flash fire originating from an outdoor firepit.
Two juveniles were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where they were treated and released. A third juvenile was taken by her parents to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and was also treated and released. The remaining victims were released to their parents and declined further medical treatment.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit–Arson Squad, the Berkeley Township Police Department Detective Bureau, the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit.