UDDATE: No Injuries In Garage Fire on Ashlar Way, But House Is Uninhabitable

A fire confined to the garage of an Ashlar Drive home has rendered the house uninhabitable because of structural damage, the head of the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention said.

The occupants of the house were alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm, said James Mercready.

"They were able to evacuate without injuries," he said.

Fire inspectors Kevin Espositio and Stephen Hayes determined the cause of the blaze was a result of an electrical malfunction in the garage, Mercready said.

"The house is posted as an unsafe structure," he said. "The structural damage makes the whole house unsafe. It also had heat and smoke damage. It's not habitable."

Firefighters from the Silverton and Pleasant Plains fire departments were able to knock the blaze down fairly quickly, Mercready said. The Toms River Fire Department also responded.

Initial reports said there was ammunition in the house, he said.

"Apparently the owner is a hunter," Mercready said. "It had no impact on the fire."