UPDATE: Beach Haven Fire Started at Gables Restaurant, Damaged Part of Historic Structure

The cause of the major fire, which started in or around the Gables Restaurant at 112 Centre Street in Beach Haven and damaged a part of the historic structure, does not appear to be suspicious, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's office. 

The fire began officials said. No injuries were reported. The structure — and one of the adjacent buildings belonging to Surflight Theatre, at 206 Centre Street — suffered damage, but officials did not confirm the extent of the damage at this time.

"I don't know what the extent of the damage is," said Capt. Matt Greenwood of Beach Haven Police. "It's the Ocean County Fire Marshall and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office arson unit, they're investigating it — it's their scene. We're just here to help out."

Firefighters from Beach Haven, Surf City, Ship Bottom, Barnegat, Stafford, High Point, Eagleswood, Mystic Islands, Tuckerton and Parkertown assisted at the scene yesterday, Greenwood said, along with Beach Haven, Long Beach Township and Ship Bottom police.

The Fire Marshall workers at the scene were not available for comment, and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office is not releasing any other details at this time, except to say that the fire's cause does not appear to be of suspicious origin, according to Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Michel A. Paulhus.

The Surflight building that was affected is Surflight's costume shop with staff housing on the second floor, said Bill Lawton, director of development at Surflight and resident of Long Beach Township, who was at ths scene earlier this morning surveying the damage.

"The wind was blowing from the west, and it got a little bit of that fire from [the Gables building] onto the roof of our building," Lawton said, adding that in order to put out the fire, the firemen had to get some water onto  the building's roof, which may have resulted in additional damage.

"I will say that the fire department was very careful to make sure the fire doesn't spread to our building or any other building," said Lawson who was watching at the scene yesterday evening.

Other Surflight employees and local residents and visitors lingered around the site, watching Ocean County Fire Marshall officials, Beach Haven police and other workers, from Health Department inspectors to gas company do their work around the site.

Some took photos of the glassed in veranda of the upscale restaurant, which was not damaged. Glasses still half-filled with wine and plates with food were visible through the glass, testament to yesterday's evening Easter meal, interrupted.

Smell of food still lingered in the air this morning, even as gusty wind kept blowing ashes into people's eyes. The front of the building seemed to be untouched by the fire, with the back part blackened completely.

"There was a brush fire that began outside the building that, due to windy conditions, quickly spread to the upper floors," the Gables Restaurant announced on its website. "The first floor and our kitchen were unharmed. The construction process has begun, and we should be open by early June."

The Gables structure, known as Kathlyn Cottage when it was built in 1892, became a restaurant as well in the 1980s, has undergone significant renovations under new owners in 2005.

Nancy Minor, a resident of Ship Bottom was in the area dining at a different restaurant yesterday, when the fire took place.

"We had a lot of visitors here this weekend," Minor said. "A lot of people said that as they were driving down here they saw all the firetrucks, and everyone got nervous. Some people started turning around. It's the wind here — this is something we all know and live. Once you have the wind, you're done. It's rough. How many weddings have they booked for this spring?"

"But the thing is, the community here is so supportive," Minor added. "Down here, everyone will step in and help out."