Sad event occurred few days ago in Toms River. The building, which housed a real estate office, also was home to the nonprofit Hometown Heroes was significantly ruined from a fire. You may remember this as the fire that closed part of Washington Street for more than six hours in Tuesday morning.
Unknown reasons for the fire and reaction
According to property records online, the building housed the Rhine & Co. realty office, listed as Sotheby's on the sign in front of the building. It also housed Oliver & Co., an insurance adjuster; and Hometown Heroes, the local nonprofit has helped hundreds of Ocean County residents in need.
Toms River Fire Company 2, in a post on Facebook, said firefighters were called to the scene about 4 a.m. and found the 2-1/2-story building with flames coming through the roof. Engines 2671 and 2631 poured water on the fire, and Fire Company 2's post said the firefighters had assistance from five other stations while a sixth station covered the main firehouse.
The cause of the fire is under investigation still.
This is the second time Hometown Heroes has lost its office to a fire. Two years ago, in May 2014, a fire swept through several businesses at the corner of Robbins and Washington streets after an electrical system short-circuited, destroying the offices of the nonprofit that has helped 10,000 people since it formed in 2008.
Were the firefighters late or reacted slowly?
Because this is the second case of fire for this nonprofit, and because the house that is 150 years old is ruined, it is maybe reasonable to ask the question. Should the firefighters reacted faster? What is the reason they were late and why their attempt to preserve the house failed? The next time there could be victims or bigger and older building can get destroyed. We are not putting in question the work ethics and quality of our Fire Company, but somehow we have the feeling that this could’ve been prevented. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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