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Jersey Shore Wildland Arson Investigation 'At An Impasse,' Prosecutor Says

Authorities from the Jersey Shore say they have been unable to identify those responsible for setting a suspicious wildfire last month.

Sunday's destructive wildland fire that jumped the Garden State Parkway in Lakewood.

Sunday's destructive wildland fire that jumped the Garden State Parkway in Lakewood.

Photo Credit: Mark Rosetti (Demonracer2)

The fire consumed 167 acres of land in Brick and Lakewood in March, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.

A business was destroyed and hundreds of area residents had to be evacuated, Billhimer said.

 A firefighter suffered a heart attack while battling the blaze, which jumped over the Garden State Parkway, he said. 

Fire officials identified the fire’s origin "along with our conclusion that the fire was intentionally set," Billhimer said.

The investigation "remains at an impasse,'' the prosecutor said on Monday.

Police and fire agencies have tried to identify the individual(s) responsible for setting this "horrific wildfire," Billhimer said.

The multi-agency probe is being conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Arson Squad and High Tech Crime unit, he Ocean County Fire Marshal, Lakewood Township detectives and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit.

Detectives have attempted to interview about  60 potential witnesses and reviewed video recordings from cameras in proximity to the fire. 

"The vast majority of these potential witnesses have been less than cooperative with our investigation, and as such, we are currently at an impasse at this point," Billhimer said.

If anyone has any information about the March 14 wildland fire, they are urged to call Sgt. Thomas Haskell of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, extension 3953.

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