EDGEWATER, NJ—Late news reports on NJ.com last night said New Jersey Gov. Christie and local officials were blaming the fire at Avalonbay Communities' Avalon at Edgewateron maintenance workers using a blowtorch to perform plumbing work. Edgewater's fire chief reportedly said the complex's wooden construction made the fire spread more quickly, but the company defended its construction as "standard, common, and safe," and "in accordance with the fire and safety codes applicable" at the time it was built.

Avalonbay says the fire that occurred on Wednesday, January 21 at the company's Avalon at Edgewater apartment community located in Edgewater, NJ caused extensive damage. One of two residential buildings, consisting of 257 apartment homes, is uninhabitable. Avalonbay says it is evaluating the extent of the damage to the second building, which consists of 151 apartment homes.

“As a result of the fire last night at Avalon at Edgewater, the apartment community's two buildings remain evacuated, Avalonbay's Michael Feigin, Chief Construction Officer, says in a statement. “We are awaiting a final determination from the Fire Department as to what portion of the community may be inhabitable moving forward. We very much appreciate the bravery and skill of the local firefighters in controlling and extinguishing the fire.  We recognize the tremendous disruption that this incident has caused for residents and the community alike, and we are working with the Red Cross and local officials to assist residents. We are also fully cooperating with the fire marshal and other authorities as they investigate the fire and its causes.”

Avalonbay says it believes the loss caused by the fire will be substantially covered by its insurance program and will not have a material effect on the company's financial condition.

"We are very aware of the significant impact this unfortunate event has had on our residents and the local community,” says Sean Breslin, AvalonBay's chief operating officer. “We have worked closely with the Red Cross and local authorities to establish an assistance center and are doing our very best to support everyone affected by the fire. We would like to thank the local firefighters for their bravery and skill extinguishing the fire. We continue to cooperate with the Fire Department as they complete their investigation into the cause of the fire."

NJ.com quoted Edgewater Fire Chief Tom Jacobson as saying that the complex's “lightweight, wooden construction” contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. Chief Jacobson did not respond to an email query from GlobeSt.com by late last night.

"The Avalon at Edgewater community was built using wood frame construction, a standard, common, and safe construction method for multifamily housing used throughout the United States,” Feigin says of the construction.  “The community was built in accordance with the fire and safety codes applicable at the time.  The purpose of those codes is not to prevent the building from burning down, but rather to ensure that there is sufficient time and opportunity for all occupants to exit safely in the event of a fire.  We are grateful that everyone at Avalon at Edgewater was able to leave the building and get to safety without serious injury.  As a company, the safety and well-being of our residents is a priority in the design, construction and operation of our communities."

The CliffviewPilot.com hyperlocal website has a list of agencies taking donations of money, goods, and other services for residents of the apartment complex.

"The New Jersey Apartment Association is mobilizing our membership to assist residents displaced as a result of the Edgewater apartment fire," says David Brogan, executive director. "We have developed and posted to our website a list of available apartments in the area and we are coordinating with the Red Cross, as well as State and local officials to ensure that this list is widely distributed.  Displaced residents can also go to www.njaa.com for a copy of the list. The NJAA and its members empathize with the difficulty of being displaced under such circumstances and we stand ready to help those in need."