Point Pleasant Beach: At 9:29 AM the Point Pleasant Beach Fire Department was dispatched for a reported working structure fire on the corner of Chicago Avenue and Laurel Court. The fire was reported by a neighbor who was returning from the store had noticed flames shooting out of the front bay window. When Officers from the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department arrived on scene within a minute of dispatch, they found heavy fire showing from the A & D sides. Based upon the reports of heavy fire conditions, Deputy Chief A. Jay Fox (4210) ordered a mutual aid response from the Point Pleasant Fire Department, while he was en-route to the scene.

Arriving on scene at 9:33 AM, Deputy Chief Russell Mickle (4310), assumed command of the firefighting operations. Heavy fire conditions were showing from the 1-story residential structure, with a heavy fog keeping the smoke low to the ground and reducing the visibility on the fireground. Engine 4301 arrived on scene at 9:34 AM, laying a supply line from a hydrant on the corner of Arnold and Chicago Avenue. Captain Mark Drew (4320) lead his crew into the front door and started to attack the blaze. As there was heavy fire on both sides, Captain Drew held his position just inside the doorway until a second line was put into operation.

Truck 4205 arrived at 9:35 AM, lead by Captain Joe Michigan (4220), firefighters Bob Cry and Jim Sigler went to work on the roof. Splitting the Truck 4205’s crew, firefighter Jayson Moore, lead another hoseline with firefighters from Station 43 into the structure, allowing both lines to now advance quickly through the ground floor. The fire in this area was quickly knocked down and crews began to turn their attention to the heavy fire in the attic area.

Crews arriving on Engine 4201 and Truck 4305 were put to working pulling the ceiling to gain access to the fire in the attic from below. The crew working on the roof were assisted by firefighters from Point Pleasant Fire Company #1, who made additional cuts. The interior crews experienced difficulty in accessing the fire from below due to the ceiling material and the plywood flooring in the attic. Crews did penetrate into the attic, but the fire already had good control of this area. Soon, heavy fire was venting from the holes in the roof and the roof began to show signs of a possible collapse. At this time, Deputy Chief Mickle ordered all crews out of the building and began an exterior attack. Also, at this time an additional alarm was sounded bringing an Engine from the Bay Head Fire Company to the scene to supply Truck 4305 and an Engine from Brielle Fire Company for station coverage.

When the main body of fire in the attic was knocked down from the outside, the crews moved in again to knock down any remaining fire. Crews continued working overhauling the structure and extinguishing ant remaining hotspots. The last firefighters cleaned the scene at 12:20 PM.

The cause of the fire is currently being investigated by the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office. At total of 31 firefighters from the Point Pleasant Beach Fire Department responded, in addition to personnel from Point Pleasant Fire Company #1, Point Boro Fire Company #2, Bay Head Fire Company #1, Brielle Fire Company #1, South Wall Fire & Rescue and the Point Pleasant First Aid and Emergency Squad.

1^st Alarm Companies:

Ocean Fire Company #1 (Station 42), Point Pleasant Beach Fire Company #2 (Station 43), South Wall Fire and Rescue (Station 52-3) and Point Pleasant First Aid and Emergency Squad (Squad 34)

Engine 4301, Truck 4205, Truck 4305, Engine 4201, Engine 4311, support vehicles 4203, 4304 and 4307, Engine 52-3-79, Ambulance 345 and Ambulance 344

2^nd Alarm Companies:

Point Pleasant Fire Company #1 (Station 40) and Point Boro Fire Company #2 (Station 41)

Engine 4001, Engine 4151, Rescue 4003

3^Rd Alarm Companies:

Bay Head Fire Company #1 (Station 14) and Brielle Fire Company #1 (Station 99-1)

Engine 1411, Engine 99-1-78