TOMS RIVER – Rags soaked in oil outside a Buerman Avenue home were the cause of a fire on May 25. The resident of the home escaped, having heard a smoke alarm.
John Novak, the acting chief of inspections for the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention told Jersey Shore Online that “the cause of the fire was accidental and attributed to spontaneous combustion from rags soaked in oil stain outside the house.”
Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention Inspector Matthew Janora along with Toms River Police Patrolman Ryan Parente confirmed the fire at 607 Buermann Avenue was accidental and attributed to spontaneous combustion of petroleum distillates from oil stain.
Township Police Spokesperson Jillian Messina told Jersey Shore Online that around 2:15 a.m. multiple police and fire units responded to a call for a reported house fire. Upon arrival the house in the East Dover section of Toms River was fully engulfed in flames.
She added that “there was only one person in the house at the time of the fire and he did escape safely, because he woke up to the smoke alarms going off.”
The East Dover Fire Company, Toms River Fire Company No.2 and Island Heights Fire Company responded on the 1st alarm. Engine companies from Toms River Fire Company No. 1 and the Silverton Fire Company were also called to the scene to assist with additional staffing. The fire was rendered under control in less than 30 minutes.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention is reminding residents to make sure their smoke detectors are working and have fresh batteries in them.
