Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on April 13, 2026, at approximately 10:50 a.m., the Toms River Township Police and Fire Departments responded to a residence on Tuyahov Boulevard for a report of a structure fire. First responders found that a female resident of the home had been rescued from the residence by a neighbor. Both individuals suffered injuries from the fire. The female was transported to Thomas Jefferson University Burn Center in Philadelphia where she is listed in stable condition. The neighbor was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River where he was treated and released. During fire suppression efforts, a firefighter sustained minor injuries; he was transported to Community Medical Center where he was treated and released.
A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention, revealed that the fire originated in a bedroom on the south side of the residence; the fire was determined to be accidental in nature, and failure of lithium-ion batteries could not be eliminated as the cause of the fire.
Prosecutor Billhimer commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention, for their collective efforts in connection with this investigation.