Caffrey's Fire Ruled Accidental, Prosecutor's Office says.

LACEY TOWNSHIP, NJ The fire that severely damaged the popular Caffrey's Restaurant on Route 9 South has been ruled accidental, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

"The origin of the fire was located along the west wall of the kitchen on the stove top," spokesman Al Della Fave said.

The fire was reported at 8:54 a.m. on Wednesday. It developed rapidly and spread through the entire roof system, which damaged the entire building, he said.

Lacey Township police and multiple area fire departments battled the blaze for more than two hours. The fire was bought under control by 11:30 a.m., and firefighters began working inside to put out pockets of fire, Della Fave said.

No restaurant employees were injured, but a firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion and taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River, he said.

Once fire officials deemed the structure was safe to enter, an examination and investigation was conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Unit, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CIU, OC Fire Marshal's Office, the state Fire Marshal's Office and the Lacey Township detective bureau.

Photo: Courtesy of Elle Regan