Ocean County Forest Fire 'Intentionally Set,' Prosecutor Says

BRICK, NJ — An investigation into a wildland fire that damaged forced hundreds of people to evacuate and shut down travel on the Garden State Parkway on Sunday has found it was intentionally set, authorities said Friday.

Investigators are searching for the person or people responsible, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

"We have located the origin of the fire and have concluded that the fire was intentionally set," he said. "The significance of this wildland fire cannot be overstated. It is only by the grace of God that no one was killed."

Three homeless people who had been living in the woods were saved from the advancing fire, and a New Jersey Forest Fire Service firefighter remains hospitalized at Ocean Medical Center in stable condition after he suffered a heart attack while battling the blaze, Billhimer said.

The fire, which was seen about 1:15 p.m. Sunday by an observer at the New Jersey Forest Fire Service Observation Tower in Lakewood, started in the area of Cedar Bridge Avenue and Airport Road in Lakewood and spread into Brick. It consumed 167 acres, destroyed two commercial properties and damaged 29 homes in Brick Lake Park as firefighters battled it in 20 mph winds through the night Sunday into Monday, before it was finally deemed under control on Monday afternoon.

The fire jumped the Garden State Parkway and forced authorities to shut down travel in both directions on the highway for more than eight hours. Traffic was halted on Route 70 in the area and retail businesses were evacuated as well, as firefighters had to put out spot fires caused by windblown embers that traveled as much as 1.2 miles, authorities said.

Anyone with information about the fire is urged to contact Sgt. Thomas Haskell of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, ext. 3953.

Billhimer said the following fire companies and agencies responded to the fire, which jumped the Garden State Parkway and forced authorities to shut down travel in both directions for more than eight hours. Traffic was halted on Route 70 in the area and retail businesses were evacuated as well, as firefighters had to put out spot fires caused by windblown embers that traveled as much as 1.2 miles, authorities said.

The fire is under investigation by the prosecutor’s office Major Crime Squad-Arson Unit and High Tech Crime Unit, the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, the Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit.

Billhimer said the following agencies responded to the fire:

Ocean County Sheriff’s Office; New Jersey Forest Fire Service; New Jersey State Police; New Jersey State Police Traffic Incident Management Team; Ocean County Fire Coordinators; Ocean County EMS Coordinators; Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office; Lakewood Township Police Department; Brick Township Police Department; Toms River Township Police Department; Jackson Township Police Department; Howell Township Police Department; Chaverim of Lakewood; Hatzolah; Brick Township Bureau of Fire Safety; Brick Township EMS; Lakewood Township Fire Department; Lakewood Township EMS; Barnegat Township Fire Department; Beachwood Fire Department; Bayville Fire Department (Berkeley); Manitou Park Fire Department (Berkeley); Pinewald Pioneer Fire Department (Berkeley); Laurelton Fire Department (Brick); Breton Woods Fire Department (Brick); Pioneer Hose Fire Department (Brick); Herbertsville Fire Department (Brick); Toms River Fire Department Company No. 1; Toms River Fire Department Company No. 2; Ocean Beach Fire Department (Toms River); East Dover Fire Department (Toms River); Silverton Fire Department (Toms River); Pleasant Plains Fire Department (Toms River); Manchester Township Fire Department; Whiting Fire Department (Manchester); Ridgeway Fire Department (Manchester); Mantoloking Fire Department; Waretown Fire Department; Ocean Gate Fire Department; Pine Beach Fire Department; Point Pleasant Borough Fire Department; Point Pleasant Beach Fire Department; Seaside Heights Fire Department; Seaside Park Fire Department; Island Heights Fire Department; Jackson Township Fire Department Company No.1; Jackson Mills Fire Department (Jackson); Cassville Fire Department (Jackson); Whitesville Fire Department (Jackson); Bamber Lake Fire Department (Lacey); Forked River Fire Department (Lacey); Lanoka Harbor Fire Department (Lacey); Lakehurst Fire Department; Joint Base McGuire-Dix Fire Department; Lavallette Fire Department; Eatontown Fire Department; Wanamassa Fire Department (Ocean – Monmouth County); Oakhurst Fire Department (Ocean - Monmouth County); West Long Branch Fire Department; Hamilton Fire Department (Neptune); Shark River Hills Fire Department (Neptune); Neptune City Fire Department; Colts Neck Fire Department; Southard Fire Department (Howell); and Goodwill Hose Fire Department (Belmar).

Previous coverage:

• Homes Damaged, Firefighter Critical As Fire Burns In Ocean County
• NJ Forest Fire Updates: 167 Acres Burned, 100 Percent Contained

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