The fire that engulfed a three-unit commercial building on Herbertsville Road Saturday brought out at least 22 agencies to assist with bringing the blaze under control, destroying the building, but also launching an effort by fellow business owners to assist the pizzeria that has been forced to close as a result.
An aerial view of the damage at a Herbertsville Road shopping plaza in Brick, April 28, 2024. (Credit/Courtesy: John Barrett)
The shopping center at 358 Herbertsville Road caught fire around 5 p.m. Saturday. Officials have not released the cause of the blaze, however a source told Shorebeat work was being performed on the roof at the time of the fire. The shopping plaza contained three units and two businesses: Cuzzin’s Pizza and Jay’s Food Market. The third unit, a former dry cleaning store, was vacant since the business moved locations.
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Shorebeat has also obtained aerial photos and video from the fire, shot by a reader, that show the extent to which the flames enveloped the building, and its aftermath. The roof appears to have collapsed in multiple areas, and the front of the building on Sunday – once crews cleared – was covered in remnants of black soot and continued to emit the odor of burnt material.
An aerial view of the damage at a Herbertsville Road shopping plaza in Brick, April 28, 2024. (Credit/Courtesy: John Barrett)
An aerial view of the damage at a Herbertsville Road shopping plaza in Brick, April 28, 2024. (Credit/Courtesy: John Barrett)
An aerial view of the damage at a Herbertsville Road shopping plaza in Brick, April 28, 2024. (Credit/Courtesy: John Barrett)
An aerial view of the damage at a Herbertsville Road shopping plaza in Brick, April 28, 2024. (Credit/Courtesy: John Barrett)
An aerial view of the damage at a Herbertsville Road shopping plaza in Brick, April 28, 2024. (Credit/Courtesy: John Barrett)
An aerial view of the damage at a Herbertsville Road shopping plaza in Brick, April 28, 2024. (Credit/Courtesy: John Barrett)
The Herbertsville Fire Company on Sunday thanked 22 additional agencies that provided aid during the blaze, including:
- Laurelton Fire Company #1
- Pioneer Hose Co #1
- Breton Woods Fire Company #1
- Point Pleasant Fire Department Station 75
- Point Pleasant Beach Fire Company #2
- Ocean Fire Company
- Ramtown Fire Company
- Squankum Fire Company #1
- Southard Fire Dept. No.1
- South Wall Fire Rescue
- Silverton Volunteer Fire Company
- Pleasant Plains Vol. Fire Department
- Brick Twp. Fire Dep. of Fire Safety Bureau
- Brick Township Fire Department
- Brick Township EMS/Rescue
- Point Boro EMS
- Point Pleasant First Aid & Emergency Squad
- Beachwood Emergency Medical Services
- Jackson Township EMS
- Brick Township Police Department
- Lakewood Police Department
- Ocean County Sheriff’s Department
It is expected that the township’s fire bureau or the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office will issue a determination of the cause after those agencies complete their investigations.
Meanwhile, one of the businesses, Cuzzin’s, is receiving a helping hand from a friendly competitor up the road: Papa V’s Pizzeria, whose owner began a GoFundMe page to help her fellow business owner.
Anthony Carannante, who owns Papa V’s with his sister, Lisa Hamilton, began the page, which has generated more than 80 donations and nearly $5,000.
“We could only imagine the pain and heartache that Alfredo, the owner of Cuzzins Pizza, is going through along with his staff,” the pair posted. “Their livelihood was taken from them by a freak accident. I’m asking for a small donation where 100% of the proceeds will go to some sort of relief to the staff of Cuzzins Pizza. As a community, I know we can surpass any goal we have set forth.”
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