2nd teen arrested in connection to Jones Wildfire

(WPHL) — A second teenager has been arrested in connection with allegedly starting the Jones Wildfire that has been burning through Ocean County since April 22.

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor, a 17-year-old male juvenile was taken into custody and charged with Aggravated Arson, Arson, and Hindering Apprehension.

This comes as the second arrest related to the wildfire after 19-year-old Joseph Kling was charged with Aggravated Arson and Arson on April 23. Since then, he has been taken to the Ocean County Jail, where he is currently being held pending a detention hearing.

He has also been charged with Hindering Apprehension on May 1.

According to officials, the fire started on April 22 at 9:45 a.m. when the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower detected a column of smoke coming from Jones Road and Bryant Road in Waretown.

The fire started after Kling allegedly set wooden pallets on fire for a bonfire and left the area without properly extinguishing the flames.

The investigation also revealed that the second teen arrested assisted Kling in setting the wooden pallets on fire and improperly extinguishing them.

Both the juvenile and Kling had also allegedly misinformed law enforcement when questioned, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said.

Last week, thousands of Ocean County residents were forced to evacuate due to the flames. The residents have since been able to return to their homes.

As of May 2, the wildfire is still only 80% contained, according to the NJ Forest Fire Service. The fire has burned approximately 15,300 acres in Waretown and Lacey Township, and destroyed a commercial building, said a statement from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.