Five Injured In Lacey Blaze That Tore Through Forked River Home: Cops

Five people - including two Lacey Township police officers - were treated for smoke inhalation after a fire ripped through a ranch home on Serpentine Drive shortly after midnight, Detective Lieutenant Chris Cornelius said.

Patrolman Christopher Myeler and two Forked River firefighters broke a window in the attached garage and pulled the 81-year-old owner to safety through a garage window, he said.

Two other women, ages 64 and 35, who were visiting from Massachusetts, managed to escape from the garage window and were on the property when police and firefighters at 12:09 a.m., Cornelius said.

The fire was already heavily involved when they arrived, with flames shooting out of the rear of the house. Police received a call from a security company advising of a smoke alarm activation and a second call from a neighbor who reported heavy smoke coming from the residence, he said.

The initial investigation found that the blaze may have begun on the outside of the home, then spread to the interior, without the knowledge of the occupants. The three women apparently fled to the garage but could not open the door due to the loss of power, Cornelius said.

The two younger women escaped from a window but became separated from the owner from heavy smoke.

Officers Julie Barcalow, Anthony Sarno, and Scott Keefe assisted. Sarno entered the garage along with Forked River firefighters Rob Anderson and Ed Barker, Jr. The woman was successfully transferred outside through the garage window.

Fire departments from Forked River, Lanoka Harbor, Bayville, Waretown, and Stafford responded to the fire. The Lacey and Lanoka Harbor first aid squads along with MONOC paramedics treated and transported the injured, Cornelius said.

The home was extensively damaged and a neighboring home was also damaged from excessive heat, he said.

Lacey detectives from the police department and members of the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office will be conducting further investigation to determine the cause and origin of the fire, Cornelius said.

Image: Patch file photo.