Residents, Pets Escaped Brick House Fire After Being Woken Up By Smoke Alarms

Brick firefighters battle a house fire in the early morning hours of Feb. 17, 2015. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Smoke detectors in a home on Pinehurst Road are being credited with alerting the homeowners to a smoke condition that ultimately turned into a three-alarm fire Monday night.

Fire investigators were still on the scene of the blaze at 182 Pinehurst Road Tuesday morning, hours after flames consumed the home and caused a portion of it to collapse. The residents, Bill and Claire Jones, were woken up by the sound of the home’s smoke detectors at 11:39 p.m. Monday, according to Kevin Batzel, director of the Brick Township Bureau of Fire Prevention.

Batzel said the residents initially woke to a smoke condition and went to check on the home’s heater, which was located in the basement, but were unable to open the door. They then grabbed their two dogs and one cat and ran outside after calling the fire department.

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All of Brick’s fire companies – Breton Woods, Pioneer Hose, Herbertsville and Laurelton – responded to the fire as well as the Mantoloking, Point Pleasant Borough, Point Pleasant Beach and Silverton companies, plus police and Brick EMS squads.

Brick firefighters battle a house fire in the early morning hours of Feb. 17, 2015. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

The residents who escaped were taken to Ocean Medical Center for observation due to smoke inhalation but were not seriously injured, Batzel said.

“Thank goodness the smoke detectors were in the house, which gave them an early warning,” said Batzel.

The house was “totaled,” Batzel said. Public Works crews were called in Tuesday morning to take down a remaining portion of the house near the area where the collapse occurred for safety reasons.

Batzel said the residents had called in a report of frozen pipes earlier in the day.