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Teen Drowns In Inactive Ocean County Mining Pit

TOMS RIVER, NJ (CBS) – The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office says a teen died while swimming in an old mining pit.

Police in Berkeley Township received a call about a swimmer in distress in Fischer's Pit around 8:44 p.m. on July 2nd.

Officers at the scene as well as the Water Rescue Team of Bayville and Manitou Park Fire Companies entered the pit and recovered the victim, Gary Douglas, 18, of South Toms River.

Douglas was transported to Community Medical Center for treatment, where he was pronounced dead around 10:30 p.m.

Officials say Fischer's Pit is a very deep, inactive sand and gravel mining pit that's filled with water near Hickory Road and Northern Boulevard between Beachwood and Berkeley Township.

They also say its inaccessibility and steep banks make it a very dangerous place to swim, and advise against going into the water there.

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