Ice Cream Hut Fire On Seaside Park Beachfront Was No Accident, Authorities Said

Authorities have determined that someone deliberately set an municipally-owned ice cream hut on the Seaside Park beachfront on fire, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

The 10-foot by 10-foot wooden gazebo-structure off 2nd Avenue was fully involved when Seaside Park police and firefighters arrived at 4:41 a.m. on Aug. 8, spokesman Al Della Fave said.

The structure is one of seven huts placed along the Seaside Park beach used to sell ice cream to beach goers during the day.

OCPO Detective Christopher Bonner requested Ocean County Fire Marshal John Pasola and his accelerant detection K-9 “Sam,” who found a positive indication of ignitable liquids on the floor along the south side of the structure, Della Fave said.

"The partnering agencies concluded that open flame to ignitable liquids couldn't be eliminated as the cause of the fire," he said

Anyone with any information regarding this case, please contact OCPO Major Crimes Arson Investigation Unit Det. Christopher Bonner at 732 929-2027 Ext. 2449. All information will be treated completely confidential.