Massive fire destroys NJ boardwalk cafe; cause sought

OCEAN GROVE, N.J. (AP) - Fire investigators are trying to find out what started a massive blaze that destroyed a building housing a New Jersey boardwalk cafe and other businesses.

Officials in Ocean Grove said the fire broke out at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Dunes Boardwalk Cafe building, which houses several seasonal businesses and was apparently unoccupied at the time.

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden says the blaze was brought under control briefly but flared up again, and officials say it smoldered overnight. Golden says the building is a total loss.

Golden says it appears the fire began underneath the structure, but the cause wasn't immediately known. No injuries were reported.

The fire was just a block north of a 2017 fire that damaged or destroyed seven buildings.