Staff reporter Joe Hart contributed to this report.
WILDWOOD — Firefighters were called to 134 E. Schellenger Ave. at the former Gilmore Hotel for a reported structure fire at around 1:04 p.m., on Sun., Oct. 3.
Fire was showing on the north side of the rooming house when firefighters arrived, Capt. Mark Gose said. Firefighters immediately began suppression efforts and extinguished the fire in approximately 25 minutes, Gose added. Holly Beach station and North Wildwood fire department also assisted.
No one was injured in the fire. Gose said the rooming house was closed due to code violations.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Cape May county Fire Marshal, Gose said.
Rob Grimley, owner of the property, told the Herald that the fire was minor and electrical in nature. He wanted to assure Herald readers that arson was not involved.
“It was an accident,” Grimley said. “There’s no insurance claim here.”
“I’m cleaning the property up,” he added. Grimley noted that the property was once known for drugs and crime.
Grimley said he was rehabbing the rooming house to rent to foreign students working at Moreys Piers in the summer. He purchased the property a month ago and has been working on bringing it back up to code “getting it ready for next summer.”
“I live in Wildwood Crest with my family,” Grimley said. “I care about this community.”
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