JACKSON — Authorities are investigating a structure fire that tore through a three-story condo building under construction Tuesday night at the Club at Jackson development on Mantoloking Drive, officials said. They believe it was accidential in nature.
Police and firefighters were dispatched shortly after 7 p.m. on February 3 and arrived to find heavy fire conditions in an end unit of a multifamily building that did not yet have utilities connected. Flames were visible from upper floors and rapidly spread through exposed framing, according to officials.
Firefighting efforts were complicated by the lack of operational fire hydrants in the newly developed area. Crews were forced to establish water shuttles from distant sources and rely on tanker trucks to maintain adequate water supply as the blaze intensified.
During the response, one man was arrested at the scene on charges related to tampering with fire hoses, authorities said. His identity has not been released, and the incident remains under investigation by Jackson Township police.
Firefighters also encountered two propane tanks near the structure, prompting additional safety precautions and the evacuation of nearby workers and residents as a preventive measure.
Despite the challenges, a coordinated response involving multiple fire departments prevented the fire from spreading to nearby occupied homes.
Mutual aid was provided by Freehold Independent Fire Company and the Joint Base Fire Department, which also assisted by covering other areas of the township during the incident.
The fire was brought under control later in the evening, with crews remaining on scene for several hours to conduct overhaul operations and monitor for hot spots. No injuries were reported among firefighters, construction workers or residents.
A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Jackson Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Jackson Township Fire Bureau, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations Unit revealed that the fire originated in the center hallway of the first floor. The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental – likely resulting from the placement of a propane convection heater too close to available combustible materials.
