Massive Buy-Rite Liquor Store Fire Ruled Accidental: Prosecutor

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ - The cause of the massive fire that destroyed the Buy-Rite Liquor Store on Route 9 on Sunday night has been ruled accidental, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

"Improperly discarded smoking materials cannot be eliminated as the cause of the fire," spokesman Al Della Fave said.

The origin of the fire was on the outside of the structure along the east wall, just south of the main entrance, he said.

Many area fire companies responded to the blaze.

When Waretown Fire Company members arrived at the building at 11 p.m., they found the fire had already spread to the second floor and the attic, according to the Waretown Volunteer Fire Company's Facebook page.

Firefighters had to temporarily leave the 9,000-square-foot building because of extremely heavy fire and heat on the second floor, until some of the blaze could be knocked down. When they went back in, they pulled down the interior ceilings and were able to put out the fire.

The investigation was done by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Arson Unit, the Ocean Township Detective Bureau, the Ocean County Fire Marshal's Office and the New Jersey State Fire Marshal's Office, Della Fave said.

Photo: Courtesy of the Waretown Volunteer Fire Company