Austin Bogues

@AustinBogues

OCEAN GROVE - More than two months have passed since the early morning fire March 3 that ripped through Ocean Grove, damaging or destroying seven buildings and displacing 98 residents.

Since that time, residents still don't know exactly where the fire started and what caused the inferno. Officials have still not released a total damage estimate from the fire.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office has released very little information since it took over the investigation in March. They are being assisted with the investigation by several different agencies, including the Justice Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The Press has reached out to the agencies investigating the fire seeking additional information.

Bob McEwan, chairman of the Ocean Grove Board of Fire Commissioners, said 26 pieces of fire apparatus used to fight the blaze, including six aerial trucks. To get the fire under control firefighters used more than 150,000 gallons of water per minute.

Frustration has begun to grow with some Ocean Grove residents, according to Ocean Grove Homeowners Association President Barbara Burns.

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"I have asked that we be kept apprised of when we might expect a report on that investigation. We really haven’t got any kind of updates," said Burns.

"The township, they are rarely proactive in terms of keeping people up to date with what’s going on. I know they know the fire issue is a big issue."

Neptune Township Mayor Michael Brantley said any information regarding the fire investigation would have to be released by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

"Until they’re finished we won’t know anything," Brantley told the Press on Tuesday. "We hear the investigation is still ongoing, that’s the only information we have. It’s frustrating, whenever the county investigates anything they take their time. We like to know things sooner than later, but we don’t get it until they're finished."

The March 3 fire was the sixth major blaze in the single-square-mile community in a decade. Ocean Grove is especially susceptible to fires because of the close proximity of the Victorian wooden homes, many of which have less than four feet separating them. Many homes lack fire surpression systems such as water sprinklers.

"The fire remains under investigation and as soon as a more information is available it will be released," said Donna Weaver, a spokeswoman for Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Meanwhile, the township is taking several measures in Ocean Grove that Brantley said were not a direct response to the fires, but could have "an additional benefit" of helping to prevent them, he said.

He said the township has put out bids for a historic preservation architect and a historic preservation attorney to help change preservation "guidelines into standards" Brantley said. Ocean Grove was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. It has a population of about 3,000, but the community sees a surge of visitors during the summer tourist season according to Burns. In addition to the historic wooden homes, the community is also renowned for the its tent dwellings.

He said the township would not be proposing any new regulation measures in Ocean Grove until after those positions are filled and recommendations are made. Brantley said the positions would not be full-time, permanent employees.

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Austin Bogues 732-643-4009; abogues@gannettnj.com