OCEAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Heavy rains that pounded New Jersey on Monday were responsible for a partial roof collapse at a BJ’s Wholesale Club store in Ocean City Township, authorities said.
According to a news release from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, emergency personnel were dispatched to the big box store at approximately 11:16 a.m. ET. There were 27 people inside the building when the weight of the rains caused a partial collapse, WPVI reported. Water and debris poured into the store, according to the television station.
Two people were partially trapped inside the store but managed to free themselves and exit the building, the sheriff’s office said.
There were no injuries reported, according to the sheriff’s office.
Primary and secondary searches of the building were conducted using the sheriff’s office’s interior drone and New Jersey Urban Search and Rescue K-9 teams, WPVI reported.
Officials estimated that 20% of the building collapsed, according to the television station.
“This incident is another reminder of how quickly severe weather can create dangerous and unpredictable conditions,” Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said in a statement. “We commend all first responders who worked with urgency under challenging circumstances.”
© 2026 Cox Media Group
