OCEAN VIEW – No one was home when an early morning fire caused significant damage to a house in Dennis Township Wednesday, Sept. 13.
The call came in at approximately 5:02 a.m. to the Ocean View Fire Company, along with automatic aid from Dennis Fire Company, dispatching firefighters to Ravenwood East Drive for a structure fire.
Chief William Neely arrived at the scene and reported a working fire with flames showing through the roof. Additional resources were requested to the scene, bringing a tanker from Cape May Court House Fire Company, an engine from Woodbine Fire Department, and a Rapid Intervention Crew from Avalon Fire Department.
Ocean View’s Squad 17 arrived, forced entry through the front door and began an attack on the blaze. After several minutes, the “well-progressed fire” made it unsafe for firefighters to operate inside due to falling sections of the ceiling and roof. An evacuation message was put out and all firefighters safely exited the building.
By this time, however, most of the fire had been extinguished and the remainder was knocked down with ladder trucks from Seaville Fire Rescue and Sea Isle City Fire Department. Belleplain Fire Company, Goshen Fire Company and Tuckahoe Fire Company each brought a tanker to the scene.
There were no reported injuries and the building was unoccupied at the time of the fire. Crews operated for over three hours before clearing the scene. Seventeen firefighters from the Ocean View Volunteer Fire Company responded to the scene. The department said the fire did not appear to be suspicious but remains under investigation by the Cape May County Fire Marshal’s Office.
