Condo fire called an "accident" Investigators: Electrical light fixture might have been source
By ED JOHNSON STAFF WRITER December 7, 2007 ASBURY PARK The fire that destroyed the Shore Condominium apartments at 406 Seventh Ave. has been ruled an accident, investigators said Thursday. Investigators from both the city and the Monmouth County Fire Marshal's Office believe an "energized electrical light fixture," similar to a deck light, on the second floor in the rear of the building may have been the source of the fire, Asbury Park Fire Inspector Garrett M. Giberson said. "We're also looking at a couple of other possibilities," he said. If the light fixture is determined to be the cause, it would match accounts given Wednesday by the building's nine tenants, who reported seeing flames shooting from the rear of the building and especially heavy fire on the second floor of the three-story wood- frame structure. Two of those residents leaped from the second-floor window to an outside staircase as the fire intensified. All of the tenants escaped unscathed. The only injury was to a firefighter, who was treated at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and released, officials said. The rear of the building sustained the most extensive damage, fueling flames that shot through the building and also destroyed its roof. The building has been determined to be unsafe and will have to be torn down, Giberson said. Four of its nine residents have been placed in area hotels by the Red Cross, the remaining five have moved in with friends or relatives, the Red Cross said. The fire victims were also given emergency funds for food and clothing by the Red Cross, officials said. The Shore Condominium residents had only moved into their apartments in August. The renovated building had been intended for sale as condominiums, said Robert McDonald, who had been commissioned to sell the units. A sign in front of the building listed the asking price as $169,000 per unit. City tax records show the property was bought by Rave Property LLC of Asbury Park on April 29, 2005, for $875,000. Rod Siberine is an owner. He could not be reached for comment. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/