Belmar Fire Extinguished, Two Homes Destroyed Sunday Night

Firefighters contained a massive blaze that destroyed two homes and damaged another in Belmar on Sunday night.

Two unoccupied residences at 111 and 113 16th Ave. were destroyed by a fire which broke out at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Easter Sunday.

After nearly an hour, emergency responders brought the fire under control and extinguished it. Crews from Belmar's three volunteer fire units were assisted by members of both the Avon-by-the-Sea and Wall Township fire departments.

No major injuries were reported, though officials reported one Belmar firefighter sustained a hand injury and was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center to be treated.

Neither of the two destroyed homes were occupied at the time. A lone resident of the home at 109 16th Ave., which sustained some heat damage, was evacuated by firefighters.

Investigators from the Monmouth County Fire Marshal and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office Forensics Unit were on the scene. Jersey Central Power and Light also arrived to disconnect electricity from the two destroyed homes.

"Our fire department performed very well tonight," Mayor Matt Doherty said at the scene, noting that despite the holiday, the Belmar Fire Department showed up in large numbers and quickly extinguished the blaze.