For years there had been discussions about how to deal with the overcrowded conditions at the Ocean County Jail in Toms River, N.J. Then, on Aug. 23, 1959, the worst possible scenario played out. A fire started on the second floor.
Over the next several days, the Asbury Park Press attempted to piece together the tragic events.
“The fire was discovered about 11:15 a.m. when Stanley Moore, a jail guard, went into a ground floor cell block to quell a fight.
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