An explosion Saturday inside Ocean County's first rum distillery, which opened in August, left its owner hospitalized with burns, police said.
Peter Martorelli, 38, suffered multiple burns as a result of the explosion and had to be flown to the Burn Center at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Lacey police said.
His wife, Tina, wrote on Facebook that Peter Martorelli suffered some first- and second-degree burns on his legs and was not severely injured. She also said the explosion caused "minimal damage" to the business.
Police responded just after 2 p.m. to the Island Beach Distillery on Old Shore Road in Forked River after receiving a report of a fire with someone trapped inside.
Officers at the scene learned that a distillery inside the building exploded, according to police.
Members of the Forked River Fire Department and the Lanoka Harbor Fire Department responded and extinguished the blaze.
The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office also responded to the fire.
The fire remains under investigation by the Lacey Police Detective Bureau and the Ocean County Fire Marshal's Office.
Island Beach Distillery opened in August as Ocean County's first rum distillery, according to a report from WOBM. The distillery was named after Martorelli's favorite beach spot at the Jersey Shore, Island Beach State Park.
Martorelli specializes in Caribbean style rum, he told the radio station.
The business was not destroyed and will be closed for a few weeks, Peter Martorelli said on Facebook.
"I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support during this trying time," he said. "We will be back and open as soon as we are able."
Alex Napoliello may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.