Early morning blaze destroys two Asbury Park homes
Three adults displaced, five firefighters sustain minor injuries
A structure fire severely damaged two homes on Cookman Avenue Sunday, displacing three adults and causing minor injuries to several firefighters, according to a local fire official.
Members of the Asbury Park Fire Department [APFD] responded to a call reporting a structure fire on the 900 block of Cookman Avenue [between Langford Street and Memorial Drive] just before 5 a.m. Sunday, according to Garrett Giberson, a spokesperson for the APFD.
The fire appears to have started in a vacant house located on the rear of the property at 919 Cookman Ave. and spread to the adjacent house at 921-923 Cookman Ave., he said.
Upon arrival, firefighters were “confronted with heavy fire conditions at both houses,” Giberson said. It took them several hours to keep the fire under control and five firefighters sustained minor injuries in the process, he said. Giberson would not disclose the names of the firefighters injured or additional details about the injuries they sustained for privacy reasons.
Three adults escaped unharmed from the 921-923 addresses and are receiving assistance through the American Red Cross. The 919 address was unoccupied when firefighters arrived on the scene, he said.
Firefighters from Neptune, Wanamassa and Wayside also responded, Giberson said.
The majority of firefighters left the scene around 9:30 a.m. Sunday. A small crew stayed to continue to extinguish hot spots and minor flare-ups, he said.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Anyone who may have information in regard to the incident is asked to contact the Asbury Park Police Dept. at (732) 774-1300.
[Photo at top provided courtesy of Garrett Giberson. Click here to see additional photos of the fire.]
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