Family Escapes Significant House Fire in Pleasant Plains

A resident escaped with his family after trying to put out a blaze with a fire extinguisher, in an early morning fire that gutted the garage of the Liberty Bell Road home today.

The garage roof collapsed in a fire fight that brought out 30 emergency responders after 1:43 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Stanley Lutkiewicz was inside when he discovered smoke, and ran to get a fire extinguisher trying to put out the flames, said Michael Mastronardy. Lutkiewicz then ran to wake up his family and escape the two-story home in the Pleasant Plains section of Toms River. The fire broke out at 1:43 a.m. this morning, said Fire Chief Brian Doyle.

“Stanley Lutkiewicz 36 reported that he was in the residence when he detected smoke coming from the garage area.  He unsuccessfully attempted to put out the fire with a fire with a fire extinguisher then awoke the rest of the family who then exited the residence,” Mastronardy said in an email.  “Mr. Lutkiewicz was treated by Toms River Police EMS for minor burns on his hands.”

Doyle said a firefighter was also treated for a hand injury: Firefighter Rod Mesina was treated on scene.

The fire was under control by 2:01 a.m., but in that time the fire caused significant amount of damage to the home, particularly surrounding the garage, which was destroyed. A car in the driveway was also caught in the smoke damage. The siding of the house next door was also damaged.

“The roof over the garage area completely collapsed from the fire,” Doyle said.

When the first fire unit arrived at 1:46 a.m., the garage was ablaze and the family had already left the house, Doyle said. Flames were visible from the outside of the house.

There was “heavy fire showing from the garage area of the residence.  All occupants were confirmed to be out,” Doyle said. “Due to the heavy fire and all occupants out of the structure the fire was knocked down from the exterior before making entry into the residence.”

Once the fire was under control, fire fighters had to investigate any possible hot spots, Doyle said. That effort took until 3:30 a.m.

Doyle said the fire appeared to have started in the garage.

Pleasant Plains, Silverton, and Toms River #2 fire companies, as well as Toms River Police EMS, responded to the fire.

The Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention and Police Officers Thomas DiMichele and Dan Ruiz are investigating the fire.