Owner Of Island Beach Distillery Burned In Explosion

LACEY TOWNSHIP, NJ - An explosion at the Island Beach Distillery this afternoon left one of the owners with multiple burns to his body, Police Chief Michael C. DiBella said.

The owner - who was not identified by the chief - is Peter Martorelli, said his wife and co-owner Tina on her Facebook page.

The business will be closed until further notice, she said.

"Today there was a little explosion at Island Beach Distillery," she wrote on her Facebook page. "Needless to say we will be closed until further notice. Pete seems to be ok. I’ll keep an update. At this time I want to give a very big thank you to all of Lacey Police, Fire, EMT’s and Berkeley Township. You all did a fantastic job and were very nice and helpful!! I can’t them enough!"

Lacey police responded to the business at 713 Old Shore Road in the Lacey Business Park at 2:07 p.m. on a report of a fire with entrapment, the chief said.

"Upon arrival, officers learned that a distillery within had exploded causing injury to the owner," the chief said. "The 38-year-old male from Forked River was conscious and alert, however sustained multiple burns to the lower half of his body. He was subsequently transported by Lacey EMS and MONOC paramedics to Saint Barnabas Burn Center in Livingston, NJ."

The Forked River and Lanoka Harbor fire departments responded and extinguished the blaze.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the Ocean County Sheriff's CSI Unit assisted in the investigation.

The Lacey Police Detective Bureau, along with the Ocean County Fire Marshal's Office are on the scene. The incident remains under investigation, the chief said.

Photo: Patch archive photo