No Injuries Reported Following Vehicle Fire in Ocean County

No Injuries Reported Following Vehicle Fire in Ocean County

Following a report of a vehicle fire, Manchester Township Police Department officers arrived at the intersection of County Road 539 and New Mexico Drive on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at around 5:43 p.m.

Officers observed a fully engulfed in flames black 2012 Jeep Wrangler when they arrived. As firefighters arrived on the site, officers established a safety perimeter as soon as they verified the car was empty. While the Whiting Volunteer Fire Company arrived on the scene, contained the fire, and eventually put it out, County Road 539 was briefly closed in both directions.

Tomas Pimentel, 65, of Manchester, New Jersey, the driver, said that while heading south on County Road 539, his engine failed.

When the car stopped, he saw smoke rising from the front and got out right away. There were no injuries recorded, and there were no other people inside the car.

Whiting Volunteer Fire Company contained and put out the fire, Route 539 was closed in both directions.

The Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene and determined that the fire does not appear to be suspicious in nature and was likely caused by an electrical issue.

The Manchester Township Police Department would like to thank the Whiting Volunteer Fire Company for their rapid response and professionalism in successfully containing and extinguishing the fire.