Firefighters responded to a structure fire involving two reportedly abandoned homes on Fifth Street near Clifton Ave. shortly before 5:00 AM early Shabbos morning.

Due to the heavy fire conditions, the incident was quickly upgraded to a second alarm, bringing additional firefighters and equipment to the scene to assist in battling the blaze.

Multiple Fire, EMS, and Police departments from the area responded as crews worked to bring the fire under control. Smoke could be seen throughout the area during the early morning hours as firefighters operated at the scene.

The Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire. While officials have not yet determined what sparked the blaze, investigators believe the abandoned structures may have recently been occupied by homeless individuals.

The incident comes just several months after a neighboring abandoned home was destroyed in a separate fire as reported by TLS raising concerns among nearby residents about the vacant structures in the area.