- The roof of a BJ's Wholesale Club on Route 35 in Ocean Township, New Jersey, partially collapsed on July 6, 2026, after severe storms dumped up to six inches of rain on Monmouth County in less than 24 hours.
- About 20% of the roof on the west side of the building gave way over the bakery section, sending water and debris crashing into the store. Two shoppers were briefly trapped but freed themselves and escaped safely.
- All 27 people inside were evacuated without injuries. Investigators also discovered a gas leak and a refrigerant leak inside the building, both of which were resolved on the scene.
OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY — Barely six weeks after a New Jersey father was charged following a viral confrontation that made national headlines, New Jersey is back in the spotlight — this time because of a storm so severe it brought a warehouse club's roof crashing down on its shoppers. On Monday morning, a BJ's Wholesale Club in Monmouth County partially collapsed in the middle of one of the worst flash flooding events the area has seen in years, and the security camera footage of what happened inside is hard to believe.
The Roof Came Down
A powerful storm had been battering the Jersey Shore since early Monday, dumping up to six inches of rain across Monmouth County in just a few hours. By mid-morning, Route 35 was completely underwater, and the weight of the accumulated rainwater on the roof of the BJ's Wholesale Club on Route 35 had become too much to hold.
At around 11:16 a.m., the ceiling over the bakery section on the west side of the building gave way. Security camera footage — verified by Ocean Township Mayor John Napolitani — captured the moment the roof caved in, sending a wall of water and debris crashing into the store. Display tables were shoved across the floor, merchandise went flying, and shoppers scrambled to get out. About a foot of water quickly covered the store floor.
Two shoppers were partially trapped under debris. Both managed to free themselves and get out safely before emergency crews arrived.
"We did evacuate everyone out of the building," said Ocean Township Police Chief Michael Sorrentino. "There were reports of two individuals trapped. They did escape the building. There was probably about a 20% roof collapse on the west side of the building and water was just pouring in."
What Responders Found Inside
Multiple emergency agencies responded immediately. First responders conducted two full sweeps of the building to make sure all 27 people were accounted for. The Monmouth County Sheriff's Office deployed an interior drone, and New Jersey Urban Search and Rescue K-9 teams worked through the flooded structure.
Inside, they discovered two additional hazards — a gas leak and a refrigerant leak. Both were contained and resolved before the scene was cleared.
"We had a really big gas leak inside," said Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden. "They had shut off the gas to the facility as well as a refrigerant leak. All have been taken care of. So there is no hazard currently."
All 27 people were safely accounted for. No injuries were reported.
The Bigger Picture
The BJ's collapse did not happen in isolation. Ocean Township and the surrounding Monmouth County communities were dealing with extreme flooding across the board. About 155 homes in Ocean Township lost power, with crews unable to reach some areas because roads were impassable. Asbury Park recorded 5.45 inches of rain in 24 hours, including 3.45 inches in just three hours Monday morning.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said the state's Office of Emergency Management was actively helping affected communities. "I'm grateful to the first responders and public servants who have been working around the clock to keep people safe," she said.
Sheriff Golden added: "This incident is another reminder of how quickly severe weather can create dangerous and unpredictable conditions."
BJ's Wholesale Club has not issued a public statement. It is not yet known how long the Route 35 location will remain closed or what the full structural damage assessment looks like.
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