'Lacked The Proper Certifications': 3 Sea Isle City Fire Officials Step Down Following Series Of Destructive Fires

SEA ISLE CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- Following a series of fires in Sea Isle City, a debate is growing about the fire department there and what additional changes, if any, need to be made. New leadership has already been installed at the top of the town's all-volunteer fire department.

"Stuff was burning up here and from the heat of that, it started catching this on fire, like flames were shooting at it. It was so hot," Carmen Conti said.

Conti runs the commercial fishing operation for Carmen's Lobster Pool Incorporated.

His business took a hit on June 16, when an accidental fire engulfed his shed and destroyed his boat.

He says luckily, his neighboring business and a staple in the community, Two Chums Bait and Tackle, was not damaged.

It was the latest of several large fires in Sea Isle City over the last year that has caused damage and injured residents.

This shines a light on what some believe is a need for the volunteer fire department to become full-time.

Two weeks ago, an anonymous complaint prompted an investigation by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs' Division of Fire Safety.

The division found that the fire chief and his two assistant chiefs, "lacked the proper certifications for incident command."

All three have since stepped down from their positions.

"They were replaced by three new individuals who have the proper certifications. This does not preclude the prior individuals from responding as line firefighters or operating the apparatus, if so qualified," the Division of Fire Safety said in a statement.

"They did well by me. That's all I can say," Carol Nicastro said.

She was one of two people rushed to the hospital for smoke inhalation during the June 16 fire. She has been living next door to Conti's business for three decades.

She believes a full-time fire department could help but she also understands that Sea Isle City is a beach town with a lot of residents in the winter.

"It's going to have to be up to town hall meetings and the mayor," she said.

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As for Conti, this fire motivated him to become a volunteer firefighter himself.

"They have the fire boat, I've been a boat captain for many years, I figured I'd talk to some of them, I thought I'm the perfect person to run the fire boat for them," Conti said.

The division of fire safety says it's working with this fire department to bring everyone into compliance. CBS3 reached out to the Sea Isle City's mayor and city spokesperson. We have not heard back yet.

CBS3's Chantee Lans reports.