Several Lakewood businesses destroyed after lightning sets building ablaze [VIDEOS & PHOTOS]

A lightning strike is reportedly the cause of a blaze that left multiple business units destroyed today in Lakewood.

At approximately 2:20 pm, the police department received a call from a man who reported hearing a “loud explosion.”

Upon arrival, Police and Fire personnel reported visible flames coming from warehouses on Cross Street.

Dozens of firefighters from Lakewood, Jackson, Toms River, Brick and Point Pleasant battled the fire for several hours to bring it under control.

Some elderly residents in the area evacuated from their homes due to the smoke condition.

The roofs of at least two structures collapsed during the fire.

Several businesses were destroyed in the blaze.

One firefighter was transported to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus for an unknown injury.

[TLS-007/TLS-BC/TLS-A. Lev]

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13 COMMENTS

  1. The lightning that we heard at that time literally shook our house and we don’t live to far from there.
    I am not surprised to see that it actually hit this building. Who knew lightning can be so intense during a snow storm?

  2. Crazy fire
    Happy to see everyone working together
    Hope the firefighter is not badly injured.
    Another firefighter I know who got hurt on a call and is disabled for life doesn’t hear or see anything from the fire department. Not even a card of best wishes for the holidays
    So sad

  3. The lightening struck businesses on Cross Street just behind the Enclave which is an over 55 community. Chasdei Hashem it did not strike any houses there, or in Satmar, or in Hearthstone, or any of the many Mesivtas and Batei medrash in the area. There was a blinding flash of lightening, then a boomimg crash of thunder and of an explosion that shook all the houses in the area. We must thank Hashem that no homes were struck.

  4. Shook our house on whitesville in Toms River. 2 x . The windows were shaking so long my kids thought it was an earthquake. i thought the windows were going to shatter,

  5. When a fire breaks out in our community I think it’s time search our actions and do teshuva. This is how a Jew lives.

  6. did not mean to be insensitive to businesses. was just commenting that there were no severe human injuries BH Hope the firefighter is recuperating.

  7. Why did it take a half an hour for lakewood’s ladder truck to arrive? Does lakewood no longer have a functioning ladder company that the surrounding townships have to provide basic fire coverage?

  8. Mark,

    In situations like these that require multiple ladder trucks we need to rely on mutual aid for additional trucks. This is true regardless if Lakewood’s trucks are there or not. (Unless you are hoping for Lakewood to support a budget for 5 ladder trucks….?)

    That said, the LVFD, being the volunteer organization that it is, means that not all members are available at all times. This is especially so during the day time when many volunteers are at work, some out of town, and require more time to respond first to the station and then to the scene with the truck.

    As it was, 2 of Lakewood’s trucks DID respond yesterday and arrived in reasonable time. It is for the simple reason of maneuverability, some trucks arrived 30 seconds quicker, some trucks are smaller.. etc, that mutual aids trucks were active in scene. Lakewood’s truck company was well represented by their members and put in their fare share of work even if their own truck was not active in the hot zone.

    All in all, Lakewood did a phenomenal job and was the main force initially. Mutual aid is required and necessary for incidents like these but it was Lakewood that commanded and set the tone.

Comments are closed.