TOMS RIVER – Officials are currently investigating a fire that severely damaged a home Saturday morning in Toms River.
The Pleasant Plains Fire Department and Silverton Fire Company were dispatched to a large single-family home on Whitty Road around 4:50 a.m. The Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention said the fire was upgraded to three alarms and as a result multiple outside agencies were called in for help.
The residents as well as a number of cats, dogs and birds were inside the home at the time of the fire. Officials said the residents were able to escape the blaze and managed to rescue some animals. However, an unknown number of animals did perish in the fire, officials said.
The flames caused the roof of the home the collapse and several first responders from multiple agencies fought for about five hours to extinguish the fire. Officials said two firefighters were injured and received treatment and eventually released.
Assisting at the scene were fire departments from Silverton, East Dover, Toms River Companies 1 and 2, Ocean Beach, Beachwood, Manitou Park, Breton Woods, Pioneer Hose, Herbertsville, Manchester, Island Heights, Seaside Heights; as well as Toms River Police, Toms River Police EMS and Brick Township Police Emergency Medical Services.
At this time, the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention and the Toms River Township Police Department are investigating the fire.
