A Major Fair Haven Fire & the Community’s Rally

A massive fire destroyed a Fair Haven home
Fire photos/District 36 Rapid Intervention Team — Tinton Falls FD

No one, including pets, was hurt in the raging fire yesterday that destroyed a two-family Fair Haven home and damaged others nearby; but, it has displaced a family.

The cause of the fire has as of yet been undetermined (see update below), but it was the largest house fire in the borough in decades. As Fair Haven Fire Department’s firefighters got the call at about 4:30 p.m., they arrived on the scene and units from surrounding towns — Sea Bright, Little Silver, Red Bank, Shrewsbury, Rumson, Neptune RIT, Tinton Falls RIT and Tinton Falls Northside Fire Co., River Plaza Fire Co. (Middletown FD), Monmouth County Fire Police, and Monmouth County Fire Marshal — came to assist. The structure on Fair Haven Road was fully engulfed and not salvageable, but controlled and extinguished within an hour or so. The homes next door were saved, left with damage.

Meanwhile, the community moved quickly to organize fundraisers to assist the affected families. A GoFundMe page to help one family in the duplex residence. The other family declined assistance, a Fair Haven resident helping with the GoFundMe said, adding that they “said they’re in an OK spot.”

As of 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, $48,262 was raised for Ann and Emily Richards. The largest singular donation so far was $1,000 from an anonymous source. The goal for Ann and Emily Richards is $100,000.

Click here for the GoFundMe.

The Richards family has lost all of its possessions. As the GoFundMe gathers funds, there are some immediate needs for Ann and Emily, according to the mayor:

• A phone for Ann;

• Toiletries;

• Gift cards for food, as the two are staying with friends in Belford;

• Clothing … size 6 and 8 in pants and medium in shirts. Both wear size 9 women’s shoes.

Donations of this sort may be made to the Columbus Club at the corner of Third Street and Fair Haven Road from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday or dropped off directly to the home of the family helping the two at 650 Main St., Belford (section of Middletown).

“Thank you so much to the community for your amazing generosity,” he concluded.

“As Ann Richards cousin I want to thank everybody that has donated to her go fund me page,” said Peter Coleman in a social media post. “The support has been quick and overwhelming. I am actually in tears writing this. This town is filled with special people!!”

UPDATE: After some consideration, the other family in the other part of the duplex that initially said it would be OK without help has consented to a GoFundMe drive for their house guests, Chris and Alaina, who were staying with Tammy Caron, who is the resident of the other residence in the two-family at 184 Fair Haven Rd. Tammy had declined the assistance, but neighbors are looking to help Chris and Alaina get back on their feet. Click here for the fundraiser for Chris and Alaina which has amassed $5,575 as of Thursday night of a $20,000 stated goal.

Thursday UPDATE: The cause of the fire was reportedly a gas leak, according to reliable anonymous sources. We will confirm this with authorities. See FHFD Fire Chief’s message below.

Fair Haven Mayor Joshua Halpern today released the following note about yesterday’s fire …