Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on March 9, 2026, at approximately 10:00 p.m., Berkeley Township Police and Fire Departments responded to a commercial structure fire at the Grits and Grace Restaurant on Route 9. First responders encountered heavy fire conditions which ultimately lead to a partial structure collapse.
A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Berkeley Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, Berkeley Township Division of Fire Prevention, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations Unit, revealed that the fire originated in the kitchen area along the north wall. The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Berkeley Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, Berkeley Township Division of Fire Prevention, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations Unit, for their combined and cooperative efforts in connection with this investigation.