Gazette covers its own office fire; puts out edition regardless

The Ocean County Gazette, a weekly covering Ocean County towns ranging from Seaside Park to Lakehurst, reports in its March 2 edition about its own fire at its headquarters on 1957 Route 35 North, in Ortley Beach. It looks like it was a bad one (gauging from the photo) and the folks over there probably had to find some new accomodations for their newspaper, at least temporarily. I cannot imagine the challenge these folks had to face.

Reportedly, the fire at the strip mall housing the newspaper offices began during the early morning hours of February 24. There is a story by staffer Pete Smith, which gives the basics about what happened. Personally, I give those guys a lot of credit for getting their edition out the way they have. They also get props for candor and, in my experience, a first: I have never seen a newspaper report about its own fire, let alone a fire that claimed the newspaper's office (thank goodness with no one being hurt).

I do not know much about this paper, though I have seen it a few times. Still, I wouldn't wish something like that on anyone. My best regards to the fine folks over at the Ocean County Gazette. They have a blog up, at: www.ocgazette.com. Click on the headline to go there.