TOMS RIVER – A two-alarm fire tore through a home on Bergen Avenue in Toms River Saturday afternoon, officials said.
Around 2:04 p.m., East Dover Fire Company No. 4, Toms River Fire Company No. 2, and Island Heights Fire Department responded to the structure fire at a two-story home.
The fire was found on the second floor and was upgraded to a 2nd alarm, subsequently bringing in additional resources.
The fire was quickly placed under control by the initial suppression team, officials said. The occupants were home at the time of the fire and were able to evacuate. However, their two cats were missing. First responders later found both cats alive, one on the fire floor and one on the first floor. Both appeared ok and in good health, officials said.
The home sustained heavy smoke, heat, and fire damage to both floors and was ultimately deemed not safe for occupancy by the Toms River Township Building Department.
No injuries were reported from the occupants. One firefighter sustained a minor injury and was brought to the hospital for evaluation as a result of a fall.
Additional crews from Toms River Fire Company No.1, Silverton Fire Department and Pleasant Plains Fire Department were called to the scene. One crew from Ocean Beach Fire Company No. 3 was stationed at the East Dover Fire House for a stand by assignment.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by Inspector Britton of the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention and The Toms River Police Department.
A GoFundMe has been set up for the homeowner and her family who have lost everything in the blaze.
