Brick Man Injured in Monday Morning House Fire

A morning fire in the basement of a Pleasant Avenue home left one man injured.

All of the township's fire companies, as well as Point Pleasant Borough firefighters responded to the blaze, which was reported around 7 a.m. Monday morning at the home at 81 Pleasant Avenue. It had been declared a three-alarm fire by 7:18 a.m., according to emergency communications.

Brick Fire Marshall Kevin Batzel said the fire started in the basement of the home, and a resident called firefighters after smelling smoke.

The home had three residents: a mother, her grown son and his daughter, whose names were not immediately available. The son and daughter were home at the time of the fire, Batzel said.

Though both eventually got out of the house, the man suffered minor burns to his right hand and right knee as he tried to extinguish the fire, Batzel said. He has been treated for his injuries and since released.

Firefighters initially had a difficult time reaching the basement due to clutter in the house, said Batzel. The basement of the home suffered fire damage, and the first floor of the home suffered heat and smoke damage, rendering the residence uninhabitable.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but authorities believe it to be accidental, having started near a couch in the basement.

No firefighters were injured, Batzel said.