Firefighters battling multi-alarm blaze on Main Avenue in Ocean Grove
Firefighters ascend on a tower ladder on Main Avenue in Ocean Grove late Friday afternoon. (Photo courtesy of Jill Wrath/alittlewrath via Instagram)
Firefighters are battling a three-alarm blaze in the Ocean Grove business district late Friday afternoon.
The fire, which broke out shortly before 4:00 p.m. on Main Avenue, is within at least one structure and impacting both apartments and businesses, officials said.
Neptune Township Mayor Mary Beth Jahn tells WABC that three ground-level businesses — Yvonne’s Cafe, Barbaric Bean Coffee Roasters, and Smugglers Cove Gift Shop — are on fire in addition to apartments above.
Nearby resident Jill Wrath, who has been documenting the fire on Instagram, said that a roof caved in around 4:30 p.m.
JSHN contributors report breezy conditions and firefighters from numerous departments operating on Main Avenue, which is closed.
Ocean Grove news outlet blogfinger.net reported that the manager of Yvonne’s Cafe ran outside after hearing smoke alarms and smelling smoke in vents. Once outside, the report said, he saw flames in the apartments above.
The fire was declared under control shortly after 6:00 p.m., according to blogfinger.net. As of 6:30 p.m., one firefighter had suffered a minor injury, the outlet reported.
Historic Ocean Grove, a dense residential hamlet along the Atlantic Ocean in Neptune Township, is known for its bed and breakfast establishments and quaint downtown.
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