A fire tore through beachfront condomuniums in a Jersey Shore beach community early Thursday.
"Thank God no one got killed, no one got hurt, that's the most important thing... Things happen, it's a pain, it's going to be a real pain in the tush," one fire victim that asked not to be identified said.
The flames broke out on the third floor of a duplex along the 4800 block of Central Avenue in Ocean City before 3:20 a.m., Ocean City firefighters said.
No one was home at any of the properties. It was likely burning for some time before fighters got to the scene, Ocean City Fire Chief Jim Smith said.
Firefighters arrived to find the duplex engulfed in flames and homes on both sides also burning, firefighters said.
The fire gutted four condos and damaged two others.
Firefighters spent hours trying to put the fire out. Ocean City firefighters got assists from Marmora, Strathmere and Margate firefighters to bring the flames under control and prevent the fire from spreading any further.
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Some firefighters stood on dunes spraying water on the fire as smoke billowed over the Atlantic Ocean.
No one was hurt.
The cause of the blaze remained under investigation.