Fire chief addresses concern after 5 recent fires in Lakewood, NJ

🔥 Causes for all five fires have been determined or are under investigation

🔥 There were no fatalities resulting from any fires

🔥 A firefighter suffered a "cardiac event"

Five structure fires in the past week are unusual but have proven to not be intentionally set, according to Lakewood's fire chief.

The fires began Monday with a blaze started by a lithium battery on an E-Bike outside a house on Birch Street.

The fires continued Thursday with one on Picardy Court that caused the roof to partially collapse, according to The Lakewood Scoop.

Possibly discarded smoking materials may be to blame for the Picardy Court fire, Fire Chief Jonathan Yahr told New Jersey 101.5.

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Red Cross New Jersey offers assistance

Nineteen people from nine families were displaced by a fire on Cedarbridge Avenue early Friday morning, according to Red Cross New Jersey.  Unattended candles may be the cause, according to Yahr.

On Friday afternoon, neighbors helped put out a fire that started with a gas generator outside a home on Finchley Boulevard, according to The Lakewood Scoop. Most of the fire was out by the time firefighters arrived.

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Heroism at a fire

The most serious fire was at a home on Joe Parker Road early Saturday morning, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer. A police officer who ran into the flames to rescue a victim had to be hospitalized because of smoke inhalation.

A firefighter also suffered a "cardiac event" and was taken to Ocean University Medical Center in Brick Township. He has been released.

The Lakewood Scoop was first to report on the investigation into the fires.

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