Three Lacey Men Badly Burned When They Lit A Backyard Fire Pit With Gasoline, Police Chief Says

Three Lanoka Harbor men were badly burned late on Aug. 10 when they tried to ignite a backyard fire pit with gasoline, Police Chief Michael C. DiBella said.

Officers Michael Baldasari, Christopher Meyler and Scott Keefe responded to a residence on the 700 block of Joseph Avenue in Lanoka Harbor at 11:12 p.m. and found the men with extensive burns. Flames flashed back to the gasoline can, which caused an out of control blaze when they attempted to light the fire pit, the chief said.

Two of them, a 33-year-old man and a 30-year-old man, were flown to Temple University's burn center in Philadelphia, where they were listed in stable condition. The third man, 36, was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River by ambulance, DiBella said.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean County Fire Marshal and Lacey Township Police Detective Adam Ewart are investigating the incident, the chief said.

Photo: Patch file photo