October 24, 2022
TOMS RIVER, NJ (OCEAN)–Toms River Police Department reports that on Sunday, October 23, 2022, at approximately 11:20 PM, multiple police and fire units were dispatched to Edgewood Drive for a reported apartment structure fire. Upon arrival, there were many residents already outside and knocking on doors to assist in evacuating the building. Officers were met by residents Jordan Finkle and Dominic Dowd, who advised that they just assisted in rescuing a woman from the burning apartment and, although they did not see or hear anyone else, the female told them there was another person inside. Officer Tyler Pinto climbed onto the balcony of the apartment if effort to locate the alleged entrapped individual but did not observe or hear anyone in the apartment. The apartment began billowing black smoke as Officer Pinto exited the balcony and the Toms River Fire Department arrived on scene to extinguish the blaze and secure the building.
The female victim was transported to Community Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation. Once the fire was extinguished, the apartment was again searched multiple times by fire fighters and first responders but there was no sign of anyone else inside. Multiple apartments were damaged and deemed uninhabitable as a result of the fire. The American Red Cross was contacted and responded to the scene to help aid the residents.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and remains under investigation by the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention, the Toms River Police Detective Bureau, and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. Also assisting on scene was the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CIU, multiple fire companies, and CSO/EMTs.
We would like to acknowledge the quick-thinking and heroic actions of the residents who came together to ensure everyone was able to get out of the apartments safely! Also, to Samantha Batiato who, along with neighbors, rendered aid to the victim and monitored her condition while waiting for first responders to arrive.
