Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on July 1, 2024, at approximately 3:20 a.m., Toms River Township Police and Fire Departments were dispatched to a residence on Kettle Creek Road for a report of a structure fire. Upon arrival, first responders found heavy fire coming from the front of the structure; it was determined that the three residents were able to make it out of the structure. All three were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment. Two of the victims were treated and released. The third victim was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for further evaluation. Three firefighters also suffered minor injuries while extinguishing the blaze.
A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Toms River Township Bureau of Fire Prevention, determined that the cause of the fire was accidental and that a failure of energized electrical equipment cannot be eliminated as the cause of the fire.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Toms River Township Bureau of Fire Prevention, for their combined and cooperative efforts in connection with this investigation.