A fire scorched a house at 142 Morning Glory Monday afternoon, demolishing the roof and much of the rest of the structure.

Crews were called to the single story home in the Whiting Station neighborhood at 2:18 p.m., police said, after a nearby fire watch tower and multiple residents called in the blaze.

Residents Florance and Walter Tulp, both 83-years-old, were eating in the kitchen when the fire started, police said. They made it out of the home safely and were seated across the street — covered with blankets — as crews battled the fire.

The Tulps were making arrangements to stay with family, according to police

It was undetermined Monday afternoon where the fire began, police said. Police from Manchester and Ocean County Fire Marshal's Office are investigating the cause of the blaze.

Some adjacent homes suffered heat damage, but "nothing that's going to stop them from living there," said Manchester Police Department Lt. Robert Dolan. Four homes surrounding the Tulp residence were evacuated as a precaution, but those residents were allowed back into their homes by 3:30 p.m., Dolan said. 

Streets near the home were blocked with yellow police tape as authorities dealt with the scene. Neighbors lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the heavily damaged home. 

Crews from Whiting, Lakehurst, Ridgeway and Bamber Lakes fire departments responded to the scene.