Boy Injured In Central Avenue Blaze

A boy was injured in the late afternoon blaze that gutted the inside of a yellow bungalow on Central Avenue in West Belmar Wednesday, police said.

In a one-paragraph release sent at nearly 5 a.m. Thursday, Sgt. Eric Olsen said the fire started around 5:40 p.m. when Wall Fire Company #1 responded to a report of smoke coming from the home. Firefighters from Glendola Fire Company and South Wall Fire & Rescue assisted, Olsen said.

An unnamed male juvenile was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune Township, by Wall EMS, Olsen said.

The release does not say whether the boy was home alone when the fire broke out. The release also does not say whether a cause had been identified.

Patrolman Michael Hurden, The Wall Township Police Detective Bureau, Wall Township Fire Bureau and Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office are conducting the investigation, Olsen said.

--------------------UPDATE FROM WEDNESDAY BELOW--------------------------

All that seemed to remain of the home at 1913 Central was the day's mail, which remained untouched by fire in the mailbox attached to the blackened shell of a home that went up in flames sometime after 5 p.m.

It was not immediately known if anyone was home at the time of the fire. Official word had not come by 10:30 p.m. Property records show the home is owned by Arthur and Vera Smith.

The fire was well under way by about 5:40 p.m., according to emergency communications. By 6:15 p.m., the fire was completely out, but crews continued to assess the damage in the house, which had a portion of its roof cut out so firefighters could get to the flames.

By 6:45 p.m. firefighters were tossing out the charred remnants of the home through broken windows -- some of it so badly burned it was unrecognizable.

On Central Avenue, the length of the street was blocked by Wall Police as crews from all three Wall fire companies responded. New Jersey Natural Gas crews were also on hand, as well as Wall EMS personnel.