9 cats die in Manchester house fire

MANCHESTER — A fire that destroyed a house killed nine cats on Sunday afternoon, the second fire in Ocean County that claimed the lives of pets this month.

Flames broke out at the house on Rabbit Court in the Pine Ridge section in Manchester just before 2 p.m. First-responders determined the lone resident was not inside, according to Manchester police.

Pictures of the fire show the house to be completely engulfed in flames.

Firefighters from the Manchester were assisted by others from Ridgeway, Whiting, Lakehurst and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

The cause of the fire at the home located in a cul-de-sac is under investigation by the Ocean County Fire Marshal's Office.

Manchester firefighters on Friday morning responded to a fire on Ridgeway Road and saved the lives of a cat and two tortoises. Two frogs and an iguana perished in the blaze. The residents were not home at the time of the blaze.

A GoFundMe page created for the owners of the house in Friday's fire said the residents had recently purchased the home.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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