Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on March 20, 2022, at approximately 8:45 p.m., Officers from the Toms River Township Police Department and Toms River Township Fire Department were dispatched to a reported structure fire on Mount Everest Lane. During the primary search of the residence, two occupants, one male and one female, were discovered. Due to the extent of their injuries, both occupants were airlifted to the Burn Center at Cooper Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey, and are presently listed in critical condition. During the suppression of the fire, three firefighters received minor injuries and were treated at the scene.
The origin and cause of the fire are currently under investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Unit, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Toms River Township Bureau of Fire Prevention.
Additional information will be released to the public as it becomes available.