Fourth Person Found Dead in Destroyed Point Beach Motel

Investigators have found a fourth deceased victim in the rubble of the Mariners Cove Motor Inn in Point Pleasant Beach, which was destroyed in a fire early Friday morning.

Like the three fire victims who died earlier Friday, the fourth was also a male, said Al Della Fave of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

No positive identifications have been made and no next of kin notifications have been made for any of the victims, said Al Della Fave of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Della Fave said the Toms River Fire Department Technical Rescue Team, which is part of the New Jersey State Police Urban Search and Rescue Team, are on site and assisting in the investigative effort.

The federal Burearu of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is also on site along with members of the NJ State Police Arson Unit and Ocean County Arson Task Force, Della Fave said.

"Investigative efforts have commenced to determine the origin and cause of the fire," Della Fave said.

Authorities will not be releasing any investigative findings on Friday, he said.

The fire, which was the subject of more than 15 calls to 911 at about 5:33 a.m.,  collapsed the roof of the motel where about 40 people were staying, authorities have said. The blaze was brought under control at 7:04 a.m.

In addition to the four people who died, eight were taken to hospitals, including one to the St. Barnabas Hospital burn center in Livingston.