Blaze Leaves 1 Dead, 6 Firefighters Injured
A resident was killed and six firefighters were hospitalized with minor injuries after escaping a flashover during a fire at a South Toms River home Monday.
According to the Asbury Park Press, the rescue workers suffered minor burns as well as smoke inhalation "as they desperately tried to knock down flames and search for a person they knew was trapped" inside the Main Street home. Ocean County Fire Coordinator Brian Gabriel told The APP that firefighters who initially entered the house were pushed back by the intensity of the heat and flames, just before the flashover occurred. "A flashover occurs when surfaces as well as objects become so heated they burst into flame," according to the APP story.
On firefighter also suffered from glass in his eye as a result of the blaze, which erupted at about 5:30 p.m. The injured firefighters were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment, APP reported.
According to the APP story, the name of the fire victim was not released, as authorities were still waiting to notify the next of kin on Monday night. The death is being investigated by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office as well as the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department and Ocean County Fire Marshal.
Fire departments from several Ocean County communities responded to the residential area to assist local firefighters as they worked to extinguish the blaze.
More Coverage:
One Dead, 6 Firefighters Injured in South Toms River Fire / 6ABC (See Video Below)
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