Fire in Sandy-renovated Toms River home ruled accidental

Flames swept through a recently renovated Sandy-damaged home on Bayview Drive in the Silverton section of Toms River early Sunday, leaving the structure unsafe to live in according to fire officials.

No one was injured. Jim Mercready, director of the Toms River Fire Prevention Bureau, told the Toms River Patch that home was unoccupied and had been sold in October.

The blaze started accidentally in a first-floor utility room shortly before 3:30 a.m., according to Mercready.

Silverton firefighters responded to the blaze along with mutual aid from the Pleasant Plains, Toms River Fire Companies 1 & 2 and the Pioneer and Brenton Woods Fire Companies from Brick Township.

The fire was brought under control within 20 minutes, according to The Patch.