MANCHESTER, NJ—A blaze Friday morning destroyed a Crestwood Village duplex while the residents of the adjoining units were away, authorities said.

A firefighter was injured while fighting the fire, suffering an ankle injury, police said.

When Manchester police officers arrived at the duplex at 609 Willow Court, flames billowed from the roof, police said.

They quickly confirmed no residents were home and evacuated nearby homes, police said.

The cause is under investigation by investigators from Manchester and the Ocean County Fire Marshall's Office, but authorities "cannot rule out electrical malfunctions in a bedroom," according to a statement from police.

Firefighters from the Manchester, Ridgeway, Whiting, Lakehurst, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Forked River and Bayville battled the fire.

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Residents in the two units, deemed uninhabitable, were relocated to stay with family members, police said.

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