26/07/2026
Middletown Township Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire near the 80 block of Lehigh Drive in the Lincroft section of Middletown on Saturday, July 25.
Chief of the Department Daniel P. Kelly, First Assistant Chief Jacob Lawrence III, Third Assistant Chief David D’Arcy, Lincroft Fire Company, and River Plaza Fire Company responded after the alarm was dispatched.
While units were en route, police advised fire department personnel that heavy smoke and fire were visible from the rear and attic of the structure. Chief Kelly requested a box alarm assignment, bringing
Middletown Fire Company #1, Navesink Hook and Ladder Fire Company, and the Independent Fire Company of Belford to assist at the scene. Belford Engine Company also responded as a Rapid
Intervention Team.
Multiple handlines and ladder pipe operations were used to contain the fire. Additional firefighters supported suppression efforts by ventilating and overhauling the second floor and attic to confirm all fire had been extinguished.
The Middletown Township Police Department, along with the Middletown Township Fire Department’s Fire Police, Air Unit, and Safety Unit, responded to the scene. Approximately 41 firefighters assisted in bringing the fire under control. Middletown Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) and the Lincroft First Aid Squad stood by for medical assistance. No injuries were reported at the scene.
The Holmdel Fire Department and Northside Engine Company No. 4 of the Tinton Falls Fire Department provided a cover assignment for fire protection over the southern portion of Middletown.
The fire remains under investigation by the Middletown Township Fire Prevention Office, under the direction of Edward “Buddy” Skelly.
