A fire on Monroe Avenue in Toms River, N.J., Feb. 28, 2022. (Credit: Jillian Apa Goodhew/ Facebook Post)
An early-morning house fire on Monroe Avenue claimed the life of a pet and left two firefighters injured, officials said.
Emergency responders were called to the street at about 6:45 a.m. for the report of a structure fire, police spokeswoman Jillian Messina said. The home, located on the 0 block of Monroe, just off Route 9, was already engulfed by the time police officers first arrived on the scene.
Multiple fire companies from Toms River as well as surrounding towns arrived at the residence to extinguish the blaze. ”
The homeowners were not home when the fire began, but unfortunately one of the family dogs did perish in the blaze, and one remains missing at this time,” Messina said.
Two vehicles and a neighboring home also sustained damage as a result of the fire. Additionally, two firefighters were treated for minor injuries they sustained while battling the blaze. Toms River EMTs remained on scene to assist with medical attention.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Detective Ryan Parente and Toms River Fire Inspector Rich Foster.
