Fire Rips Through Shrewsbury Avenue Home

A fire that originated in a second floor dwelling of a Shrewsbury Avenue building Sunday afternoon caused significant damage and required response from multiple Red Bank fire crews, as well as help from Middletown, to put it out.

The fire was reported by a resident of 298 Shrewsbury Avenue in Red Bank just before 4 p.m. Sunday. When fire crews arrived they found heavy smoke pouring out of the building, which includes a first-floor law office.

Red Bank Volunteer Fire Chief Josh Sanders said the resident of second floor apartment unit was unharmed in the fire, though the unit suffered significant smoke and water damage. Fire crews were able to contain the fire to the second floor and attic and had it under control in less than an hour.

Sanders said the first-floor law office was not damaged by fire, though it did sustain water damage. Adjacent homes were not damaged in the fire.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Just after 5 p.m. Sunday, as fire fighters worked to wrap up hoses and leave the scene, investigators were touring the burned out building looking for clues to the start of the fire.

Shrewsbury Avenue from from the area of the Red Bank Elks club to Drs James Parker Boulevard was closed to traffic, though was reopened around 5:30 p.m.