Crime & Safety

Walmart Van Fire Victim Lived in Lakehurst

49 year-old Barnegat man, who currently lived in Lakehurst, lit van on fire in apparent suicide

A man who drove his van to a Toms River Walmart at night, lit the vehicle on fire and climbed back inside in an apparent suicide, was a former Barnegat resident living in Lakehurst, police said.

Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy declined to give further details on the incident.

Police and Toms River Fire Companies responded to a call of a fire in the Walmart parking lot on Route 37 May 2.

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Staff and shoppers have written to Patch to express their shock at the incident.

“It is shocking,” agreed Mastronardy. “We haven’t had something like this in Toms River.”

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After firefighters arrived around , they soon discovered the man in the driver’s seat had succumbed in the fire. Mastronardy said police believe the man lit his 2005 Ford van on fire and then got back in the vehicle, in an apparent suicide. Police said the victim was a 49-year old man from Lakehurst.

said that a witness had called police after discovering the fire in the parking lot of the Walmart at 950 Route 37 West. The vehicle was parked in the front parking area of the store, approximately three rows from the front door, midway down row 2 on the west end of the property.

Mastronardy said the blaze was extinguished after approximately 10 minutes. The store and the two fast food restaurants on the property were each open at the time. 


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