Berkeley Township, NJ – Township police and firefighters responded to three separate fires in mid-October, including a vehicle blaze that spread to a home and another caused by a cigarette in a bedroom, authorities said.
All three incidents resulted in property damage but no reported injuries, according to police.
Officials credited quick action from local fire companies for preventing further destruction in each case.
Key Points
- Three unrelated fires occurred between October 12 and 18 in Berkeley Township.
- One home on Troumaka Street was left uninhabitable after a car fire spread to the structure.
- Other fires involved a vehicle on Dover Road and a mattress fire caused by smoking in bed.
Car fire spreads to home on Troumaka Street
On October 12, Officer Luke Dellaperute and Patrolman Drew Fanara responded to Troumaka Street for a report of a vehicle on fire. When they arrived, the blaze had extended to part of a nearby residence.
Neighbors were evacuated as firefighters from Manitou Park and Pinewald Fire Departments worked to extinguish the flames. No injuries were reported, but the home was declared uninhabitable. JCP&L, New Jersey Natural Gas, the Fire Marshal, and Detective DJ Williams assisted in the investigation.
Vehicle erupts in flames on Dover Road
Three days later, on October 15, Patrolman Zilavetz and several sergeants responded to a fully engulfed 2018 Honda Accord along the shoulder of Dover Road. The driver escaped unharmed and told officers the car had been experiencing electrical issues prior to the fire.
Detective Derek Mayer, Berkeley Township EMS, and local fire departments extinguished the blaze. Investigators determined the cause was mechanical in nature.
Cigarette sparks bedroom fire on York Court
A third incident occurred on October 18 when Patrolman Michael Drybola responded to York Court after a mattress caught fire. Police said the resident had been smoking in bed when the fire started.
Manitou Park Fire and Berkeley EMTs extinguished the flames, and the resident declined medical treatment. Detective Mayer and the Fire Marshal confirmed the cause was accidental, stemming from a lit cigarette.
Authorities urged residents to use caution when smoking and to maintain working smoke detectors in their homes.