From Press staff reports | Posted: Sunday, March 21, 2010 | 0 comments

The fuel tank caused the combustion in Friday's fatal boat explosion in Egg Harbor Township, State Police said, but what sparked the blaze was still unclear Saturday night.

Gary Theno, 51, owner of the Hidden Mill Marine Center on Thompsons Lane, was killed when his 30-foot cabin boat exploded and sank in the Great Egg Harbor River early Friday afternoon. His body was recovered three hours later.

The state police Marine Services Bureau had a bomb squad investigate the explosion Saturday, Sgt. Stephen Jones said, but the initial cause was still undetermined.

Jones said earlier that Theno may have been on the boat or on a nearby dock when the explosion happened.

The Atlantic County Medical Examiner was scheduled to perform an autopsy Sunday, Jones said.

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By ERIC SCOTT CAMPBELL, Staff Writer | Posted: Sunday, March 21, 2010 | 2 comments

A forest fire in western Barnegat Township has burned 480 acres since the blaze began, state fire warden Bert Plante said Sunday.

Plante, division fire warden of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, said fire crews expect another 60 acres near the east side of the fire to burn before the blaze is extinguished.

"A fire of this size, we don't put it out, we control it," Plante said. "Once we're satisfied with the amount of black, we let the middle burn."...Continue Reading

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By MICHELLE LEE Staff Writer | Posted: Sunday, March 21, 2010 | 0 comments

BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP — About 200 firefighters were called Saturday to battle a fire that burned more than 250 acres of forest in western Barnegat Township. Huge clouds of smoke could be seen over the treetops well into the night, and the firefighters will continue to fight the blaze today.

The fire was reported....Continue Reading

By DEREK HARPER Staff Writer | Posted: Saturday, March 20, 2010 | 14 comments

ATLANTIC CITY - Sparks from crews disassembling a crane likely started a short, intense, two-alarm fire at the Revel construction site Saturday afternoon, resort Fire Chief Dennis Brooks said.

"There was no real damage to anything," Revel CEO Kevin DeSanctis said, adding that construction would not be interrupted. "It's just one of those unfortunate things. It creates more smoke than anything."...Continue Reading with more Pictures

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VILLAS, Cape May County - Firefighters responded to an electrical fire at 19 E. York Avenue shortly after 10:30 a.m. Thursday March 18.

Wires to the two story home were arcing, popping and producing showers of sparks igniting the wood framed structure. No one was home at the time of the fire. Firefighters responded from companies from Villas, Erma, Town Bank and Green Creek.

A dog was believed to be in the home during the fire.

The fire was under control by 11:15 and out by 11:53 a.m. The county Fire Marshal was on the scene.

By DEREK HARPER, Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 | 4 comments

Officials in Ventnor and Margate are again considering consolidating their separate fire departments into one fire company.

Fire and elected officials from the two cities are scheduled to meet Thursday at noon at Margate's City Hall to begin preliminary discussions about joining the two departments together.

"Can this happen and should it happen without it hurting anybody?" Ventnor Mayor Theresa Kelly asked Tuesday....Continue Reading