July 06, 2026
Thomas P. Costello/Imagn Images
The roof of a BJ's Wholesale Club in Ocean Township partially collapsed Monday amid severe storms.
Thunderstorms that rolled through New Jersey on Monday caused traffic delays, power outages and structural damage.
Extreme flooding along Route 35 led to a partial roof collapse at a BJ's Wholesale Club in Ocean Township, a dramatic incident that was caught on video and quickly spread on social media. Emergency personnel arrived on the scene around 11:16 a.m. and found 27 people inside the store, per the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office. Two were "partially entrapped," but freed themselves and exited without injury.
Officials have asked drivers to avoid Route 35, Park Avenue and Deal Road until further notice while the storm response continues.
New video from inside the BJ's building in Oakhurst, Jersey shows the extent of the damage caused by the building collapse and subsequent flooding.
— Shlomo Schorr (@OneJerseySchorr) July 6, 2026
There were 27 people inside the building at the time, and two were trapped by were able to free themselves, according to Ocean… pic.twitter.com/WiQHGYxSit
"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. Despite the ongoing flooding and severe weather affecting our communities, all worked seamlessly together to ensure everyone was safely accounted for. Their dedication and teamwork exemplify the very best of public safety."
The storms also impacted Camden, where officials reported flooding along multiple roadways and an outage "affecting phone and email services." The North Camden Community Center, Isabel Miller Pool, Cramer Hill Community Center and North Camden Pool closed early in response to the conditions.
Rowan University closed its Camden campuses, including Cooper Medical School, around 2:30 p.m.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation also shuttered Route 30 at I-676/Benjamin Franklin Bridge in both directions on Monday morning in response to the flooding, but access was restored by 1 p.m.
A flood warning remains in effect for Camden and Gloucester counties through 6:15 p.m. The National Weather Service has extended the flood watch for Burlington, Bucks and Philadelphia counties until 6:45 p.m.
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