Day: April 17, 2022

Hamilton, Mercer County

Fire Involving Solar Panels Damages Ice Land Skating Center in Hamilton Township; 2nd Major Solar Panel Fire at a Large Commercial Building in Hamilton Within a Year

April 17, 2022

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (Mercer) – The Ice Land ice skating arena was damaged today (Sunday, April 17) by a fire that involved some of the solar panels mounted on the building’s roof. Hamilton Township Fire Department was alerted to the blaze at 3:44 p.m. Initially firefighters were dispatched to the 3800 block of Quakerbridge Road after someone reported seeing smoke coming from the rear of the Public Storage facility there. Responding firefighters, finding a smoke condition in the area but unable to locate any fire, began to search the surrounding area. That was when they discovered the smoke was coming from a blaze involving several rows of solar panels on the roof of Ice Land on Tennis Court. Firefighters gained entry to the building and also reportedly found a small fire in an electrical room, with a “moderate” smoke condition throughout the interior. The fire was extinguished using hoselines and Truck 17’s aerial master stream. The blaze was officially declared under control at 4:12 p.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation by fire officials and police.

According to the Ice Land Skating Center website:

Ice Land is temporarily closed due to an electrical issue on Sunday. Please check back here for updates. Please do not stop in at the rink. Although we love seeing our customers, checking here will give you the best information. We do not have power, so please do not leave us messages either.
High School Hockey League evaluations will be postponed. We hope to hold them the week of April 25th.
More information will be provided as we have it.
If you have immediate questions, please email heather@ice-land.com.

Last year on June 23, 2021, there was a 3 Alarm Fire also involving solar panels at Home Depot on Route 130 you can read about that fire here:

3-Alarm Roof Fire Knocked Down At Home Depot In Hamilton Involving Solar Panels; Firefighters Save Building And Millions Of Dollars In Merchandise
Brick, Ocean County

Car Fire Extinguished in Brick Township

April 17, 2022

BRICK TOWNSHIP, NJ (OCEAN)–Yesterday, around 7:05 PM Brick Township received a call for a car fire. First arriving firefighters from Laurelton Fire Company (Brick Twp) Station 23, found a car well involved and extinguished the fire. There was a report of a small gas leak of 5-gallons that was cleaned up and there were no exposures in the fire. No further information is available.

Hamilton, Hamilton, Mercer County

Grandparent Scammer Posing as FBI Agent Arrested After Caught Trying to Scam 80-Year-Old Hamilton Man for $15K

April 17, 2022

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–On April 15, 2022, an 80 year old Hamilton resident received a telephone call from a male identifying himself as working for the F.B.I.  The “F.B.I.” employee stated that the victim’s daughter was in their custody for possession of one hundred pounds of marijuana.  To secure her release, the victim would have to produce 10 percent of a $200,000 bail.  The victim called back the F.B.I. employee after securing $15,000 of the funds, the F.B.I. employee stated he would be sending someone to pick up the money.

The victim was able to reach his daughter and found she was safe and not in custody.  The victim realized this was a scam and contacted Hamilton Police Division Criminal Investigations.  Detective Thomas Clugsten, who responded to the scene along with Hamilton Police Anti-Crime Unit officers, located and arrested Mildreth Santamaria-Tirado 40 years of age from Corona, NY as she was speaking to the victim on the porch of his residence attempting to complete the pickup.  Santamaria-Tirado was transported to Hamilton Police Division Headquarters where she was charged with Theft by Deception and processed accordingly.  Santamaria-Tirado was released from Hamilton Police custody pending a court date.

Anyone who has additional information relevant to this case is urged to contact Detective Thomas Clugsten of the Hamilton Police Criminal Investigations Section at (609) 581-4027 or by email: tclugsten@hamiltonpd.org.  Information can also be left of the Hamilton Police Division’s Crime Tip Line (609) 581-4008.

The Hamilton Police Division would like to warn the public that if a phone call is received from persons posing as officials demanding cash money and arranging for pickup, please keep in mind, these calls have been found to be scams.

Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Mildreth Santamaria-Tirado 40 years of age from Corona, NY
Bradley Beach, Freehold, Monmouth County, Ocean Grove

Bradley Beach Man Charged in Death of Fellow Inmate from Ocean Grove

April 17, 2022

FREEHOLD – A 29-year-old male inmate of the Monmouth County Correctional Institution has been charged in the death of a fellow inmate, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced Sunday.

Evan Raczkiewicz, of Bradley Beach, is charged with first-degree Aggravated Manslaughter in the death of Daniel Ferrara.  An investigation began after Ferrara, 49 of Ocean Grove, was found unresponsive in the kitchen area of jail at around 5:20 a.m. Medical staff began life-saving efforts; however, Ferrara succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at 6:03 a.m.

A joint investigation was immediately launched by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and investigators from the Monmouth County Correctional Institution.  As a result of the investigation, it was determined that Raczkiewicz had struck Ferrara multiple times prior to his death.

The incident remains under investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office. Anyone who has information to assist the investigative team is urged to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Jason Gold at 732-431-7160 x4025.

If convicted, the defendant faces up to 30 years imprisonment subject to the No Early Release Act. 

The case is being prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Caitlin Sidley and Joseph Cummings.

Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendants have all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.