Middletown Fire Destroys Navesink Riverfront Home
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CBA, Neptune meet tonight in Holiday Jubilee, 2B ThMONMOUTH COUNTY'eS HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1878 ister TUESDAY. DEC. 27. 1988 VOL. 111 NO. 76 25 CL M" REGISTER PHOTOS BY ED BRETT RAGING BLAZE — In the photo at left, a fire rages at 858 Navesink River Road, Middletown. Above, a rainbow haloes firefighters as they work to douse the blaze. No injuries were reported in the early-afternoon fire. Middletown fire destroys Navesink riverfront home By MIKE BURKE THE REGISTER Unlucky boaters stranded MIDDLETOWN — A fire of undeter- mined origin decimated a two-story house during battle against blaze at 8S8 Navesink River Road yesterday, push you right into (a sandbar)," she briefly sending a spectacular ball of flame ByNEDKILKELLV explained. over the waterfront and spewing dense clouds of black smoke for three hours. THE REGISTER Middletown police said they re- Fort Monmouth, Earle ceived more than a dozen phone calls The resident of the house, Kevin McG- reporting the stranded boat from resi- lone, was not home at the time and no While Middletown firefighters dents living along the waterfront and firefighters sustained injuries battling the worked to extinguish a waterfront blaze closings said unlikely blaze, Fire Chief Robert J. Grimm said from people present at the fire at a along the Navesink River yesterday, Navesink River Road residence. last night. The chief said he had not been state Marine Police were called on to able to contact McGlone yet, adding that Reilley said she and Officer Brian By RANDY BRAMEIER assist a boat that lost power and got Herr helped the boat's operators he did not know whether the occupant stuck on a sandbar, police said. THE REGISTER owned the house. anchor the boat until the tide came in Based on what I've heard last night, which would make moving By late afternoon, however, half of the A 33-foot Hunter sailboat, operated — and it's hearsay—/ by Salvatore 'Soldano of Toms River, the mired vessel easier. The passengers Despite previous attempts to close it, smouldering structrure lay in ruin around were taken to the Fair Haven Yacht Fort Monmouth does not appear likely to a chimney on one side of the house, while was cruising the Navesink yesterday af- don't think any military ternoon when the boat's engine failed Works, DeNormandie Avenue, Fair make a list of military installations tar- some charred walls remained standing on Haven, where their cars were parked. installation will be in one half of the building. and the river's current took the vessel geted for extinction, Rep. Frank Pallone, Last night's tide was scheduled to O-N.J., said this weekend. As firemen began to sort through the into a sandbar, said Ann Reilley, an danger, but you never officer with the state police's Marine come in at 10:10, Reilley said, but she Formed in May, a federal commission rubble, Grimm said he could not com- know. ment on the origin of the blaze before Law Enforcement Bureau in Mon- added that the water should be high will release at 10 a.m. Thursday a report enough to move the boat by 8 p.m. that sources believe will identify two Rep. Frank Pallone completing the investigation. Middletown mouth Beach. D-N.J. police Det. Barry Grimm, the depart- A private towing company would dozen to three dozen U.S. installations The boat had five people on board, move the boat, Reilley said. that should close. ment's fire specialist, will lead the probe and no one was injured in the incident, into the cause of the fire. Soldano could not be reached for Some doubt, however, hangs over the additional 300 unit in houses and we ex- Reilley said. The blaze drew hundreds of spectators comment at the Fair Haven Yacht list. Members have worked in secret. Typ- pect them to begin construction on those "If your engine fails, the current will Works. His home number is unlisted. ists have worked in secured rooms that in March." to the banks of the Navesink, and the lack copying machines and windows; No Other long-range projects include build- See FIRE, Page 2A members of Congress have had any input ing a new pier in the Leonardo, Middle- into the commission's work. town, section of the base and the installa- "Based on what I've heard — and it's tion of stop lights at some intersections of hearsay — I don't think any military in- Normandy Road, which links the Middle- Only 'odds anchBnds' left of bridge stallation will be in danger, Pallone said town and Colts Neck areas. Construction Friday, "but you never know." of a new bowling alley in the Leonardo it's planted it's going to look even better." widening the road; and adding timber re- section has been completed and officials By ELAINE CANNIZZARO taining walls. Alvin Schwartz, a spokesman in the Of- He added that the county hopes to ex- fice of Public Affairs at Fort Monmouth, expect to open its doors to servicemen in THE REGISTER Residents and the borough councils of January or February, Muldrow said. pand the work to the Fair Haven Road said he had seen no evidence that officials intersection during the spring or summer both municipalities opposed the removal had thought about closing the fort. Commission members will release the of the bridge. They argued that the miss- report simultaneously to Secretary of De- — "maybe put some curbs and pavement But, he added, "There are some (peo- After three months of being closed to ing structure would enable more large fense Frank C. Carlucci, who commis- traffic so the county could demolish Mc- there to clean up that intersection." trucks to use the county road, producing a ple) who are concerned to some extent sioned the report, and Congress. because we're dealing with the unknown." Carter Bridge and widen the wad, Ridge Contractor David Gizzi of D&D Land- safety hazard for children attending Carlucci and Congress can reject or rati- Road was reopened last week. schools along the route. Officials at Naval Weapons Station fy the list outright but cannot revise the scaping, Oceanport, said, "We finished 60 Earle, meanwhile, have received no indi- list or delete any of the installations, a The controversial county demolition days ahead of schedule. We received a lot They argued that the low clearance of cation that the base will be included on move that could ensure its approval. project along the Rumson-Fair Haven of cooperation from the utility companies the bridge has kept away truck traffic and the cut list, said W.L. "Pat" Muldrow, Pallone said the workload at Fort Mon- border is substantially complete, and and the job came out very nice. The coun- urged the county to designate the road a light-traffic thoroughfare. public affairs officer. mouth and Earle indicates that the two County Engineer Charles Van Benschoten ty is very pleased and the residents are . "I tend to agree with Pallone," she said. bases will remain in operation. said, "it looks like a million dollars." finally happy." Van Benschoten said, "We have as- i "We're doing long-range planning and Navy leaders have pushed the past few sured the Rumson and Fair Haven coun- major construction programs." yean to expand the fleet at Earle. Part of "There are just a few odds and ends The $205,518.80 project included com- cils that within the next few weeks, we will "We have 200 housing units under con- the proposal involves moving two supply left," Van Benschoten said. "It turned out pleting removal of the 71-year-old foot- be conducting truck surveys on Rumson struction (in the Colts Neck section) and ships to the station from a Roanoke, Va., really well. It looks kind of naked now, bridge, which crosses Ridge Road between Road, River Road and Ridge Road to see in October we awarded a contract for an See OFFICIALS, Page 2A but there is no vegetation yet. As soon as Rumson and Fair Haven; reprofiling and what is happening." THE BOTTOM LINE Soviet campaign New start Checking up The Soviet Union launched Applicants for Job openings Armtinders 8A Living 1QA Wrestling coach Jeff Its first national mulUcandktete ComellSM of Christian In non-public schools would Business 9B Lotteries 2A election campaign yesterday Brothers Academy, In have to undergo a criminal qtassrfled 9B Movies ...... 7A with 100 Communist Party MkJdletown's Uncroft section, record check If the state Comics 8B Nation/World SA members and ordinary citizens Is expecting vast Improvement Legislature approves a bill co- Crossword 8A Obituaries 4A entering the race. from his team this year. sponsored by Assemblyman Editorial 6A Sports 1B Yesterday's nominees have Joseph Palala, R-Monmouth. rEhtertainment 7A Television 7B exactly three months to win the Tomorrow's Middletown Other bills sponsored by Horoscope 8* Weather 4A suddenly unguaranteed votes South Tournament could local lawmakers also of their comrades among the provide an Inkling of how much progressed through the tetters 0A Yourtown 9A Soviet electorate. can be expected of the Colte. Legislature this past week. CLASSIFIED . 542-1700 CIRCULATION .... Q42-8M0 WORL0/5A 8P0RT8/1B L0CAL/2A BAHUS FULL COURSES CLAM HUT- 872-0909 Odd** End* for Sale JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! AUTOS FOB SALE Classic Complete Dinners for Open New Years Era A Day. SPEND NEW YEARS EVE at Merchandise for Sale Read the Help Wanted Columns OLD ORCHARD INN 542-9.W0 Best Prices adder SIS. Mon-Thun. 872-124S Regain A children! mem. In Today's Classified in Today's Classified section Best Deals See Today's Classified 2A The Register State seeks record checks for private school staff Applicants for job openings in non- ragher and Joann Smith, both R-Mon- come and single residents to $13,250 in- public schools would have to undergo a mouth, sponsored the bill.