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The three-alarm fire broke out at about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 15 at 30 Inverness Drive, as reported here.
At least nine GoFundMe campaigns have been started to help fire victims, including these:
- For Kasie Sullivan,
- For Josh Tafuri,
- For Casey and Eric,
- For Kendall Whitmeyer and her husband JR,
- For teacher Brian Strohmetz, and his girlfriend Julie,
- For Brittany and Raymond Jones,
- For Nico, Zack, Harley, and Lily,
- For Janet and Frank,
- And this broader fundraiser.
The cause of the fire at Fairways At Bey Lea appears to be accidental in nature, Richard K. Foster, assistant chief inspector for the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention said in a statement.
Foster said about 37 people were displaced as a result of the blaze, which firefighters from six area departments fought for about five hours.
The affected building, consisting of 22 units, experienced significant damage, Foster said.
Following an assessment by the Toms River Building Department, the building has been deemed unsafe, Foster said.
A joint investigation into the cause of the fire was conducted by the Toms River Fire Prevention, Toms River Police Department, and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, he said.
At this stage, preliminary findings suggest that the fire was accidental in nature, believed to have originated from an outside 3rd-floor balcony of a unit in building 30, Foster said.
During the response to the incident, two firefighters, one EMT, and one tenant sustained minor injuries and were promptly treated, he said.
The American Red Cross New Jersey Region also was at the fire scene assisting 37 people from 19 families on Saturday and Sunday, said Sheri Ferreira, a spokeswoman with the Red Cross.
“We provide families with emergency financial assistance that can be used for food, clothing and temporary housing," Ferreira said on Monday, July 17.
One family had been away and declined assistance, she said.
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