Regional Briefs – July 29, 2019

Apartment Building Fire Spurs Evacuations, No Major Injuries

HIGHLAND PARK, N.J. (AP) — Authorities say a fast-moving fire at a central New Jersey apartment building forced the evacuation of residents but no serious injuries.

The fire on Forest Glen Drive in Highland Park broke out shortly after 4 a.m. Monday. The building’s roof collapsed during the fire, and at least six units were damaged by flames and smoke.

The fire was brought under control in about an hour

Father Dies After Rescuing Drowning 11-Year-Old Son In Ocean

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Authorities say a father died while rescuing his son who was struggling in the ocean off Atlantic City.

Emergency responders went to the beach around 9:30 a.m. Monday for a report of a child drowning.

Before they arrived, the father had entered the water to help his 11-year-old son, who eventually made it to shore. But the father began struggling himself, and a former police officer who happened to be at the beach entered the water and tried to pull him in using a boogie board.

Nearly 7 Years After Storm, New Life For Sandy Damages Claim

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A claim for damages from Superstorm Sandy that has been rejected several times by the state of New Jersey has gotten new life from a divided state Supreme Court.

The high court ruled Monday that an arbitrator who denied the owner of a group of homes in Bayonne compensation for oil damage misread evidence and shouldn’t have excluded expert evidence offered by the property owner.

The Maryland real estate investment trust first applied for compensation about a month after the storm hit in October 2012.

The Department of Environmental Protection twice rejected the application, saying the contamination came from multiple sources that pre-dated Sandy. The arbitrator denied the claim in 2016.