On Thursday, January 22, at approximately 10:31 a.m., officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to 371 Gable Circle in the Suncrest Village Apartment Complex for the report of a structure fire. When officers arrived on scene, they observed flames and smoke emanating from the second-floor apartment, as well as the attic area of the building. Officers immediately confirmed that there were no residents inside the fully engulfed unit, after which they began evacuating surrounding apartments. All eight apartments in the building were successfully evacuated. Firefighters, battling high winds, were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, but not before it caused extensive damage to multiple apartments in the building. The fire was suppressed before it could spread to adjacent buildings or a wooded area surrounding the complex.
The Manchester Career Fire Department, Lakehurst Volunteer Fire Department, Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department, Manchester Volunteer Fire Department, Whiting Volunteer Fire Department, Joint Base Fire Department, and Pleasant Plains Volunteer Fire Department all responded to the scene to assist with suppressing the blaze. The American Red Cross also responded to the scene to assist displaced residents.
EMT’s from Manchester Township Emergency Medical Services also responded to assist at the scene in the event that any injuries were reported. One resident was treated for smoke inhalation and declined any further medical attention.
Traffic in the apartment complex was affected for approximately two hours, as crews worked to control the blaze and keep residents and other apartments safe.
At this point the cause of the fire remains under investigation but appears to be accidental in nature. The fire is being investigated by members of the Manchester Township Police Department Investigations Bureau along with representatives from the Ocean County Prosecutors Office and Ocean County Fire Marshall’s Office.