Early this morning, the Toms River Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire with entrapment at Mariners Cove.

Upon arrival, approximately 3:20 AM, units found the apartment fully involved and transmitted a second alarm, bringing more resources to the scene.

Upon further investigation, it was found that the fire had spread from the original apartment to the adjacent apartments.

Firefighters conducted searches in the apartments for victims but were pushed back due to the heavy fire conditions. Due to these conditions, there was a collapse on the second floor.

Firefighters worked on extinguishing the fire and were eventually able to determine that everyone had evacuated.

Three residents were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment. Two of the victims were treated and released. The third victim was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for further evaluation. Three firefighters also suffered minor injuries while extinguishing the blaze.

“A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Toms River Township Bureau of Fire Prevention, determined that the cause of the fire was accidental and that a failure of energized electrical equipment cannot be eliminated as the cause of the fire,” OCPO said.