Seven Kids Injured In Berkeley Township New Year’s Eve Backyard Firepit

Friday, January 2, 2026, 7:30 A.M. ET. 1 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ.- The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean County Fire Officials, and the Berkeley Township Police Department are continuing the investigation into the circumstances surrounding a New Year’s Eve backyard celebration that left seven juveniles injured from burns.

     According to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at around 10:00 p.m., members of the Berkeley Township Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Medical Services responded to a 911 Emergency Call reporting a fire with multiple injuries at a residence located on Trenton Avenue in the Township.

     Upon arrival, First Responders discovered that seven juveniles had sustained burns from a flash fire that occurred in an outdoor firepit. Two of the kids were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, New Jersey, where they were treated and released. A third kid was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey, where she was treated and released. The other four kids were released to their parents and refused medical treatment.

     The investigation remains active and ongoing and is currently being conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, the Berkeley Township Police Department Detective Bureau, the Ocean County Fire Marshals Office, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit. Authorities did not report any arrests or charges being filed as of January 1, 2026.