Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on January 13, 2026, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the Barnegat Township Police and Fire Departments were dispatched to a residence on East Thorn Avenue for a report of a structure fire. Upon arrival, emergency personnel observed fire from the front door and window. The fire was extinguished.
The cause and origin of the fire are currently under investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Barnegat Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit.