LITTLE EGG HARBOR — About 110 residents were evacuated Monday afternoon from a Little Egg Harbor nursing facility after water damage and safety concerns rendered the building temporarily uninhabitable, authorities said.
Police and fire crews were dispatched on February 9 around 12:08 p.m. to the Mystic Meadows Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Ninth Avenue following an alarm activation. When first responders arrived, they found water leaking from multiple ceiling areas inside the building. Staff members also reported a possible odor of natural gas.
As part of standard procedure, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department was notified and responded to the scene. Additional assistance was provided by New Jersey Natural Gas, the Little Egg Harbor Municipal Utilities Authority, Great Bay Emergency Medical Services, the Ocean County Fire Marshal, and various local, county and state inspectors.
An inspection determined there was no natural gas leak. However, officials found extensive water damage and determined the facility lacked potable water and functional fire suppression systems, making it unsafe for occupancy.
Working alongside emergency responders and emergency management officials, facility administrators coordinated the orderly relocation of approximately 110 residents to other care facilities across New Jersey.
The Little Egg Harbor Police Department thanked the numerous agencies involved for providing personnel and resources during the response and evacuation.
