Ocean Grove Fire Is Deja Vu For Marini Family

Debbie Marini couldn't believe her eyes. 

This morning, just two days shy of a year since an early morning fire burned her Ocean Grove home to the ground, she woke to see yet another fire rolling just one block away. 

"I saw the orange glow from my bedroom window,'' Marini said from her Bath Avenue home Friday. "I can't even tell you. It looked like it was blowing right toward us again.''

She woke her children in a controlled panic, and explained to them that she didn't know which way the wind was blowing or if the fire was coming toward them, but to be ready, she said.

"I just cannot believe it was happening again,'' she said.

A four-alarm fire broke out this morning around 5:15 a.m. on Surf Avenue. Knocked down by mid-morning, the fire burned at least one home to the ground and spread to several others in the block between Surf and Atlantic avenues. 

On March 13, 2010, the Manchester Inn -- a 140-year-old neighborhood landmark -- caught fire and burned through nine structures on Ocean Pathway and Bath Avenue. Nineteen fire companies, about 200 firefighters and 14 ambulances responded.

The Marini family was able to evacuate before the fire engulfed their home. 

This morning, watching the flames roll through another house just a block away, Marini was flooded with memories.

"Having a little deja vu here today,'' she said. "We seriously thought we were going to lose everything again.''

The Marini's are in the process of getting approval to rebuild on their Ocean Pathway home, but this morning's fire has placed some doubt in Marini's mind.

"You never know what God's trying to tell you,'' Marini said.