VENTNOR Firefighters of of the 2nd Platoon responded to the call of a fire at Dream Bay condominium complex at 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 10. Occupants of two housing units were safely evacuated and no one was injured.
According to Ventnor Fire Chief Michael Cahill, the fire fully consumed the ground floor unit and the fire extended into the second-floor unit and the roof. No one was home at the ground floor unit at 737 N. Somerset Ave. Neighbors, police and firefighters were able to evacuate the family on the second floor.
Cahill said the fire rendered both units uninhabitable.
The ground floor unit was totally consumed and is uninhabitable, and the second-floor unit has fire, smoke and heat damage that is repairable, but they won't be able to live there until its repaired, Cahill said.
He estimated the damage at about $300,000.
The occupants were relocated to other family members and the Red Cross was called to assist.
Firefighters from Margate and Atlantic City assisted at the scene, while units from Pleasantville and Longport provided coverage at the station.
Cahill said it took two hours to get the fire under control and firefighters remained on-scene until about 9 a.m. Fire investigators are trying to determine how the fire started, he said.
When I got there it was so burned that I couldn't tell if they had working smoke detectors, but I'm sure the investigators will be able to determine that, he said.
Cahill expressed gratitude that no one was injured.
It was good teamwork and good mutual aid, he said.
Ventnor resident Paula Maccagnano has set up a GoFundMe page to help the family in the first-floor unit.
"My very best friend and her two daughters (age 3 and age 6) have lost everything they own in a fire that consumed their entire apartment as well as the unit above. They have been left with what was on their backs and need our community to step in and help," she wrote on the GoFundMe page.
For more, see Fire Relief-Ventnor Mom & 2 daughters at GoFundMe.com or text 609-442-5289.
