Valentine’s Day fire destroys home
No injuries reported but man charged with aggravated assault
A Valentine’s Day blaze that destroyed a two-story home on Hartshorne Road remains under investigation.
It also resulted in the arrest of the homeowner Sunday night after he did not obey orders to stay out of the active fire scene, according to Ocean Township Police spokesman Det. Lt. Torchia.
The near 7:58 p.m. fire appears to have started in the kitchen, according to a news release issued by the township police department.
Homeowner Victor Malgeri, 57, was arrested after he refused to listen to commands to stay out of the active fire scene and “physically pushed into” an officer, the news release stated.
From the release issued by the Ocean Township police:
During the course of the investigation homeowner, Victor Malgeri, arrived on scene. As officers attempted to gather information from him he refused to listen to their commands to stay out of the active fire scene. Malgeri became uncooperative and disorderly towards the officers. He then subsequently physically pushed into Officer Redmond during his tirade. Malgeri was immediately placed under arrest and transported to the station for processing. Once at the station he was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and released on complaint summons pending a future court appearance.
As Redmond surveyed the exterior of the residence, he noticed flames in the rear of the home coming from the bottom floor kitchen area, Torchia said.
Firefighters from Oakhurst Fire Department, Wanamassa Fire Department, and Tinton Falls Fire Department helped knock the blaze down.
The home’s residents were all accounted for but the fire left the house uninhabitable.
Ocean Township Police Sergeants Gregory Schenck and Matthew Jackiewicz, Patrolmen Redmond, Ryan Krug, Luke Sciallo, and Det. Jeff Malone assisted in the investigation. Ocean Township District #1 Fire Marshal Craig Flannigan, the Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office and Ocean Township Police Detective Jeff Malone are investigating.
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