By: Richard L. Smith
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer reported a devastating incident that occurred on Tuesday in the Lanoka Harbor section of Lacey Township.
According to Prosecutor Billhimer, at approximately 12:30 p.m., emergency responders received a distress call reporting a structure fire with entrapment on Buttonwood Drive.
Upon arrival at the scene, first responders were met with a harrowing sight - a two-story structure fully engulfed in flames.
Prosecutor Billhimer said amid the chaos. They managed to rescue a female victim from the rear of the building. She was promptly taken to Community Medical Center for medical attention to treat her injuries.
However, the situation quickly took a tragic turn as it became evident that four more individuals were still trapped inside the burning structure.
Braving the problematic conditions, heroic attempts were made to save them.
Tragically, the roof of the building collapsed during the rescue operation, forcing firefighters to evacuate to ensure their safety. All four victims died in the fire.
Prosecutor Billhimer expressed his profound sadness, stating, "This is an absolutely tragic situation." Regrettably, four of the residence's occupants lost their lives in the devastating fire.
Authorities are now actively conducting an investigation into the origin and cause of the fire.
Multiple agencies are collaborating on the investigation, including the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office-Arson Unit, Lacey Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Ocean County Fire Marshal's Office, and New Jersey State Fire Marshal's Office.
Prosecutor Billhimer said that more information will be available to the public as the investigation progresses.
