(UPDATE BELOW) A massive fire ripped through Lakewood’s affordable housing project (NJ HAND) last night, completely destroying four homes.

The fire department arrived on the scene at the under-construction development on Coles Way at approximately 12:45AM EST, and found four condos totally engulfed in flames. Resources were brought in from neighboring towns to assist with getting the fire under control.

At approximately 1:30AM, all firefighters were pulled away from the inferno as the roofs began to collapse. A forest-fire team was called to assist with extinguishing a blaze which had spread behind the units – which eventually burnt 1/4 of an acre of wooded area.

Families residing on nearby Spruce Street (250 feet away) were evacuated from their homes as a precaution as well.

After an exhausting all night of firefighting, the blaze was totally extinguished as daylight was approaching – with 4-5 homes at a total loss.

“The fire was so large, that the Brick Township FD saw the fire while driving on the Garden State Parkway,” one official told YWN.

Unconfirmed official sources are stopping short of calling the blaze arson until an investigation is complete. However, a source confirmed to YWN that there were no propane tanks (usually used at construction sites), no flammable liquids, and no gas connected in the homes – leaving speculation running high.

An investigation is currently underway by the Ocean County Fire Marshals, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, and Lakewood Police Department.

Boruch Hashem, there were no injuries reported.

UPDATE 11:00AM EST: NJ Hand issued the following statement on last night’s fire:

Early this morning fire destroyed four homes at NJ Hand’s affordable housing project in Lakewood. The homes were fully constructed and ready for occupancy, having been awarded to poor families in the recent lottery. “We are greatly concerned that this may have been an act of anger and arson” says NJ Hand Executive Director Shmuel Lefkowitz. “It is very heartbreaking to see this kind of destruction and devastation of hope,” says Lefkowitz.  Lefkowitz credits Lakewood and neighboring Fire Departments with preventing further damage to the site – and  thanked  Deputy Mayor Meir Lichtenstein for coming to the site in the middle of the night.

The adjacent sixty eight homes were not damaged and will be occupied shortly.

The project has not faced any oppostion to date, however its use of RCA funds through an regional housing agreement between Lakewood and Toms River was the subject of a nasty lawsuit. In that suit Judge Vincent Grasso affirmed the use of the funds which led to anger at the project by those opposed to RCA’s. Those opposed want Toms River to build more low income housing and to not satisfy its own obligation through RCA payments to Lakewood.

Bottom line says Lefkowitz “four families will now have to wait until we rebuild their homes – and rebuild we will.”

Matt Gross, construction manager for the NJ Hand likewise expressed his great concern that the fire was deliberately set and he calls for a rapid and thorough investigation by local authorities.

(Yitzchok Lewis – YWN / YW-50 / YW-MD03)